An optical probe assembly as a confocal endomicroscope includes an optical focusing stage that focuses an output beam onto a sample and a mirror scanning stage that is movable for scanning the output beam in both a lateral two dimensional plane and an axial direction, using a side-view configuration. The side-view configuration allows for output beam illumination and fluorescent imaging of the sample with greater imaging resolution and improved access to hard to reach tissue within a subject.

A method of quantifying progression of pregnancy, includes a) illuminating a uterine cervix with polarized light having a wavelength comprised between 600 and 1100 nm; b) acquiring a plurality of images of the illuminated uterine cervix through a polarization state analyser in respective analysing states; steps a) and b) being performed either once or a plurality of time using polarized light having different polarization states; c) from the acquired images, computing a depolarization parameter over a region of interest of the uterine cervix; and d) quantifying the progression of the pregnancy from said depolarization parameter. An apparatus, based on a colposcope fitted with a controllable polarization state generator, a controllable polarization state analyser and a suitably-programmed computer, for carrying out such a method. A computer program for carrying out such a method.

Disclosed is a scanning system for determining a health-condition based on scanning an intraoral object. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to different methods of providing the health-condition, for example by adapting the scanner with different scanning modes.

A medical image processing device includes a processor, in which the processor acquires an examination image of a subject captured by an endoscope, and identifies an incision suitable site in the subject included in the examination image and performs control for outputting incision suitable site information regarding the incision suitable site on the basis of the examination image, and the identification of the incision suitable site information is performed by using a learning image associated with a position of a muscular layer in the subject.

A medical image processing device acquires a medical image, detects a position of a specific blood vessel having a predetermined thickness or more on the basis of the medical image, and performs control for outputting specific blood vessel position information regarding the position of the specific blood vessel to provide a notification. The detection of the position of a specific blood vessel is performed by using a learning image that is the medical image associated with information regarding a position of at least a part of the specific blood vessel.

Method and apparatus embodiments can generate a volume fluorescence image of a tooth. Method and apparatus embodiments can project structured light patterns onto a tooth and generate a contour (volume) image of the tooth surface from acquired corresponding structured light projection images; then acquire one or more fluorescence images of the tooth generated under blue-UV illumination. A composite image that shows fluorescence image content mapped to the generated contour image can be transmitted, stored, modified and/or displayed.

An image-capturing device includes: an illumination light source configured to emit illumination light to illuminate an object; a laser light source configured to emit laser light with a peak wavelength in a range of wavelengths absorbed or reflected by at least one region of the object; an imaging device configured to take an image of the object; a speckle variable device configured to change a speckle pattern in an image acquired by the imaging device over time; and an image processing device configured to process the image acquired by the imaging device, which includes: measuring a change over time in a intensity signal from each pixel constituting the image, and dividing an imaged region of the object into a plurality of portions based on a waveform of the change in the intensity signal over time.

Offset illumination using multiple emitters in a fluorescence imaging system is described. A system includes an emitter for emitting pulses of electromagnetic radiation and an image sensor comprising a pixel array for sensing reflected electromagnetic radiation. The emitter comprises a first emitter and a second emitter for emitting different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. The system is such that at least a portion of the pulses of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter comprises a laser mapping pattern.

An image acquisition system includes: a first narrowband light source that emits first narrowband light for exciting a luminescent agent that exists in an observation target and emits light having a wavelength belonging to a visible light wavelength band; a second narrowband light source that emits second narrowband light in a wavelength band of ±30 nm of a peak light emission wavelength of the luminescent agent; a broadband light source that emits broadband light for illuminating the observation target; a first image sensor on which an image of light in a light emission wavelength band including a wavelength corresponding to light emitted from the luminescent agent is formed; and a second image sensor including one or more image sensors on which an image of light in a wavelength band other than the light emission wavelength band is formed.

A medical lighting device according to the present invention includes a light source unit that emits light, an optical fiber that guides and emits the light having emitted from the light source unit and having entered inside the optical fiber, first and second detection units that are provided in the vicinity of an emission end including an emission end for the light of the optical fiber and detect the light in the optical fiber, and a control unit that determines, based on detection values of the light detected by the first and second detection units, normality/abnormality in the detection values of the respective detection units and outputs determined results.