An arthroscope's insertion shaft has near its distal end a solid state camera. The shaft has an outer diameter of no more than 6 mm, and has rigidity and strength for insertion of the camera into joints for arthroscopic surgery. Light conductor(s) have a flattened region shaped to lie between an endoscope camera and an inner surface of an outer wall of an endoscope shaft. The flattened region is shaped to conduct illumination light though the space between the camera and inner surface of the other wall to a distal end of the endoscope shaft for illumination of a surgical cavity to be viewed by the camera. The flattened region is formed by heating a region of a plastic optical fiber, and squeezing the heated region in a polished mold.

Fluorescent imaging systems for performing an endoscopic procedure, such as a retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure may include a first light source for emitting light in the visible spectrum, or light in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum, or both. A light source bandpass filter may block the emitted light in the visible spectrum, or in the NIR spectrum, or both. A first sensor may be capable of detecting the light in the visible spectrum, or the light in the NIR spectrum, or both. A sensor bandpass filter may block the detected light in the visible spectrum, or in the NIR spectrum, or both. The first or a second light source, or the first or a second sensor, or combinations thereof, may be removably disposed on a duodenoscope.

An imaging apparatus for an endoscope includes: a lens; an image sensor configured to capture an image via the lens; a light blocking portion provided covering the lens and the image sensor; a light source provided near the light blocking portion; and a light guide portion provided covering the light blocking portion and the light source and configured to guide light from the light source. The light blocking portion is provided so as to prevent the light from the light source from being incident on the lens and the image sensor. An end face of the lens is arranged at a position further recessed than at least an end face of the light blocking portion.

endoscope includes an illumination source for generating a coherent laser illumination beam; an optical sensor; a multicore fiber comprising: at least one core for transferring the illumination beam from the illumination source through said at least one core to a distal end of the fiber, for illumination of a surface to be inspected; and a plurality of cores for transferring light reflected off the surface to the optical sensor; a temporal modulation sequencer for separating a specular image of the illumination beam from an image of the surface; and a processor, for processing sensed data from the optical sensor to generate the image of the surface.

There is provided a medical dimming control apparatus including: a dimming control section configured to control a dimming in relation to an imaging of an observation target by an imaging device in accordance with a set dimming mode. The dimming mode at least includes a first dimming mode that controls the dimming at a first tracking speed and a second dimming mode that controls the dimming at a second tracking speed that is slower than the first tracking speed, and the dimming control section sets the first dimming mode on the basis of a change in an imaging-related behavior in the imaging device, and sets the second dimming mode in a case of determining that a predetermined condition is satisfied while executing the control in accordance with the first dimming mode.

Systems and methods are configured for combined fluorescence imaging and white light imaging of tissue such as during surgical endoscopic procedures. A chip-on-tip type endoscope can be equipped with both white light and blue light LEDs. A single camera or dual cameras are configured with backside illuminated CMOS image sensor(s) to receive and process the white light and fluorescence images. The light sources, image sensors and image processing circuitry are configured to synchronously emit light and record pixels for visible white light and fluorescence frames alternately. Global or quasi-global shuttering can be used on the image sensor(s). A modified color filter array and other filters can be provided to enhance fluorescence imaging capabilities. Insufflating gas clears debris from the camera field of view and aids in moving he cannula distally through a body passageway.

An endoscope comprising a camera handle used to fix the camera lens and a wired connector; the camera handle comprises of an outer shell, an end cap and an inner shell; an sensing element is provided inside the inner shell; a lens group is provided between the sensing element and the end cap; the inner shell is fixedly connected with the outer shell through assembling components; the outer shell is fixedly connected with the inner shell through fixing components; a light hole corresponding to the position of the sensing element is cut in the middle of the end cap. The present invention has following advantages: The inner shell is inside the outer shell; both the inner shell and the outer shell are fixedly connected with the end cap; overall sealing, waterproof and dustproof performances of the camera handle are excellent; the removable waterproof cover is provided at the end of the sleeve; the elastic sealing ring is provided between the waterproof cover and the assembling tube; the connector is in a sealed space and protected from being damaged by penetrated disinfectant; with excellent waterproof performance and safe use, the wired connector is suitable for medical equipment.

The present invention provides a system for extension of dynamic range and contrast of a video capture under fluorescence imaging conditions using a single detector. For this purpose, the system (100) comprises of a light engine (107) which sequentially switches between a high-intensity fluorescence excitation light mode (107A), a low-intensity fluorescence excitation light mode (107B) and NIR reflectance light (107C). Correspondingly, a detector (103) captures three data streams—High Intensity Fluorescence Data (105A), Low Intensity Fluorescence Data (105B) and NIR Reflectance Data (105D). A scene processing unit (105) then processes the three data streams and generate two additional data streams—a Wide Dynamic Range Fluorescence Data Stream (105C) and an Enhanced Vascular Index Data Stream (105E). The system also uses a Selective Visualization Unit (106) to allow the user to visualize any of five data streams.

An endoscope includes a handle operation unit. The handle operation unit includes: an outer ring; a cam ring accommodated in the outer ring to rotate in accordance with rotation of the outer ring about a central axis and having a pair of guide holes; a pair of slide members accommodated in the respective guide holes and fixed to a force transmission member; and a support portion having a pair of slide grooves extending along a longitudinal direction of the endoscope, the support portion being accommodated in the cam ring to support the pair of slide members. The slide members slide in the respective slide grooves in accordance with the rotation of the outer ring. The field of view of the image-capturing unit is changed in accordance with sliding of the pair of slide members.

Provided are endoscopic image acquisition system and method that make observation of images easier when images are collected. The endoscopic image acquisition system includes a wavelength pattern changing unit that changes a wavelength pattern of irradiation light with which a part to be observed in a body cavity of a patient is irradiated or returning light from the part to be observed. Images of an observation wavelength pattern are captured at a certain frame rate. In response to acceptance of an acquisition instruction, images of a plurality of wavelength patterns different from one another are sequentially captured. The images of the plurality of wavelength patterns different from one another are stored in a storage unit. An image of a wavelength pattern other than the observation wavelength pattern is set not to be displayed.