An imaging device for use with an endoscope, the imaging device comprising: a lens arrangement operable to receive light from a scene captured by the endoscope and to form an image of the scene using the received light; an image sensor operable to capture the image of the scene formed by the lens arrangement; a birefringent device positioned along an optical path between the endoscope and the image sensor, wherein the birefringent device comprises birefringent material arranged in a plurality of concentric rings, and wherein the birefringent material of each of the concentric rings is configured such that the polarisation directions of an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray of light from the scene which travels through the birefringent material are different for at least two of the plurality of concentric rings; and an image processor operable to process the captured image to generate an output image.

An endoscope observation method includes irradiating first and second narrowband light to an observation object. The first and second narrowband light have wavelengths at which absorbances of first and second characteristic substances related to a predetermined state of the observation object and contained in the observation object are mutually different. The method also includes performing imaging by use of reflected light of the first and second narrowband light from the observation object to obtain first and second image data, and forming a characteristic substance presence image regarding the presence of the first and second characteristic substance, on the basis of characteristic amounts of the first and second characteristic substances contained in the first and second image data.

An endoscope system includes a light source unit, an image sensor, an image acquisition unit, a first image generation unit, a second image generation unit, and a region discrimination unit. The light source unit emits a plurality of types of illumination light beams with different wavelengths. The image acquisition unit acquires images corresponding to the respective illumination light beams. The first image generation unit generates a first image (white light image) serving as a base of a display image. The second image generation unit generates a second image (bright/dark region discrimination image or the like), using at least one image having a different corresponding wavelength from that of the image used for the generation of the first image. The region discrimination unit discriminates the regions in the observation target, using the second image.

A medical image processing apparatus includes: image signal acquiring circuitry configured to acquire: a first image signal generated by capturing light of a first wavelength band with an image sensor; and a second image signal generated by capturing light of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band with the image sensor, the first image signal and the second image signal being not subjected to the demosaic processing, and the image sensor including a color filter in which filter groups having spectroscopic properties different from each other are arranged in a specific form; a first signal path including a demosaic processor configured to execute the demosaic processing to the first image signal; and a second signal path diverged from the first signal path on a path former part from the demosaic processor, in which the demosaic processing is not executed to the second image signal.

A plenoptic endoscope includes a fiber bundle with a distal end configured to receive light from a target imaging region, a sensor end disposed opposite the distal end, and a plurality of fiber optic strands each extending from the distal end to the sensor end. The plenoptic endoscope also includes an image sensor coupled to the sensor end of the fiber bundle, and a plurality of microlenses disposed between the image sensor and the sensor end of the fiber bundle, the plurality of microlens elements forming an array that receives light from one or more of the plurality of fiber optic strands of the fiber bundle and directs the light onto the image sensor. The plurality of microlens elements and the image sensor together form a plenoptic camera configured to capture information about a light field emanating from the target imaging region.

The invention relates to a medical device for the observation of a partly fluorescent object such as tissue comprising at least one fluorophore. The fluorophore absorbs light in at least one spectral excitation waveband and emits fluorescent light in at least one spectral emission waveband. In order to be able to observe also non-fluorescent regions in the tissue without complicated filter arrangement, the medical device according to the invention comprises at least one filter system which comprises, in a filter plane, comprises a filter area and a transmission window. The filter area comprises a band pass filter having at least one passband comprising the at least one excitation waveband. The transmission window has a passband which is wider than the passband of the filter area and is cross-shaped. The at least one filter system is configured to simultaneously receive light through the filter area and the entire transmission window.

Architecture and methodology of imaging systems are provided for multispectral tissue imaging with various embodiments. The architectural designs comprise hardware of multispectral light engines and cameras and software of image acquisition, processing, modeling, visualization, and quantification. Embodiments of imaging hardware in a medical device can include a light engine of multiple sources for noncoherent light for visible and fluorescence imaging and coherent light of very narrow bandwidths for laser speckle imaging. The imaging software can include anatomical imaging by visible light, blood perfusion imaging by fluorophores in blood, blood flow distribution imaging by light of high coherence, blood oxygen saturation imaging by light absorption in tissues and tissue composition imaging by light scattering in tissues based on the radiative transfer model of light-tissue interaction. Form factors in medical devices include endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic devices in medical tower or robot systems, cart device, and handheld scanning or tablet devices.

A medical signal processing device includes: an acquisition unit is configured to acquire a first image signal acquired by emission of first light onto an object, and a second image signal acquired by emission of second light onto the object, the first light being in a wavelength band including visible light, and the second light exciting a fluorescent substance included in the object; a detection unit configured to detect each of a signal level of the visible light included in the first image signal and a signal level of fluorescence included in the second image signal; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a correction coefficient to correct the signal level of the fluorescence by using a result of the detection by the detection unit.

Endoscopic camera head devices and methods are provided using light captured by an endoscope system. Substantially afocal light from the endoscope is manipulated and split. After passing through focusing optics, another beamsplitter is used to split the light again, this time in image space, producing four portions of light that may be further manipulated. The four portions of light are focused onto separate areas of two image sensors. The manipulation of the beams can take several forms, each offering distinct advantages over existing systems when individually displayed, analyzed and/or combined by an image processor.

An endoscope apparatus includes an identification unit provided in each of a plurality of optical adaptors, an MMA connected in parallel to the identification unit, an MMA drive circuit that is provided in a main body portion and applies a drive signal for driving the MMA through a pair of conductive wires, a sine-wave generation circuit that is provided in the main body portion and applies an alternating signal to the identification unit through a pair of conductive wires in a state where any one of the plurality of optical adaptors is mounted at a distal end portion, and CPU that is provided in the main body portion and measures an input impedance of the pair of conductive wires at a frequency of the alternating current signal to perform individual identification of the optical adaptor mounted at the distal end portion based on a measurement result.