An imaging optical system according to the present disclosure includes: an aperture stop; an image-forming optical system that causes an image to be formed toward an imaging plane of an image sensor; and an optical phase modulator that includes a substance having a birefringence index, and gives two pupil functions to the image-forming optical system. The following conditional expressions are satisfied:

1≤(2×L×tan(w)+D)/D<1.4   (1)

λ/4*0.75<Re<λ/4*1.1   (2), where L: a distance between the aperture stop and the optical phase modulator; D: an aperture diameter (diameter) of the aperture stop; w: a maximum angle of incidence of a principal light ray that enters the aperture stop; λ: a wavelength of light; and Re: phase retardation caused by birefringence of the optical phase modulator.

An endoscopic system includes a processor. The processor generates from a measured value of pressure in a lumen of a subject a first temporal change image of the pressure in the lumen, generates an observation image for observing an opened/closed state of a valve portion in the lumen of the subject in real time from an image pickup signal obtained by picking up an image of the opened/closed state of the valve portion in the lumen in real time using an endoscope, and generates a superposition image by superposing the first temporal change image and the observation image in a temporally synchronized manner.

An image processing apparatus includes an input unit, an estimation unit, an acquisition unit, a production unit, and a display control unit. The input unit acquires examination information including an endoscope image. The estimation unit estimates an image pickup site based on the endoscope image. The acquisition unit acquires, from the examination information, image pickup information corresponding to the endoscope image and indicating a state of at least one of an endoscope or a subject when the endoscope image is picked up. The production unit produces a model map and associates the image pickup information with a virtual site based on a result of the estimation by the estimation unit. The display control unit controls a display device.

A focus control device includes a processor. The processor analyzes detection results of a target object in time sequence to determine whether the target object is in a lost state in which the target object is not temporarily captured into an image, sets a focus drive mode to an autofocus mode when the target object is detected, sets a first positional mode in which the focus lens is arranged at a position that is within a set range of an in-focus object plane position and is on the far point side of a central position when the target object is not detected and is not in the lost state, and sets the focus drive mode such that a lens position is nearer to a near point than in the first positional mode or sets the focus drive mode to the autofocus mode in a when the lost state is determined.

An electronic endoscope processor for processing an image signal of a subject imaged using an imaging element in an electronic endoscope system includes: an illuminating light switch that alternatingly switches the illuminating light to be emitted to the subject, between a first illuminating light and a second illuminating light; and an imaging element control circuit that controls an exposure time of the imaging element and a charge readout timing. The imaging element control circuit controls the exposure time T1 of the imaging element when the first illuminating light is being emitted to the subject and the exposure time T2 of the imaging element when the second illuminating light is being emitted to the subject, based on a time-integrated amount of luminous flux per unit time of the first illuminating light and a time-integrated amount of luminous flux per unit time of the second illuminating light.

A medical signal processing apparatus processes image signals input from an imaging device. The image signals corresponds to a result of examining a subject, and the imaging device sequentially outputs the image signals from multiple pixels arrayed in a matrix according to a raster to the medical signal processing apparatus. The medical image signal processing apparatus includes: a signal divider configured to divide the image signals according to the raster sequentially output from the imaging device into first divided image signals each according to a pixel group consisting of multiple pixels arrayed in connected multiple columns; and a plurality of pre-processors configured to process, in parallel, sets of pixel information of the multiple first divided image signals divided by the signal divider.

An endoscopic examination support device stores, in a memory, a plurality of pieces of captured image data obtained by a plurality of imagings by an endoscope in a state in which the endoscope is inserted into a subject, and treatment information indicating treatment performed by using the endoscope in the state. Moreover, the endoscopic examination support device generates, based on the stored plurality of pieces of captured image data and treatment information, a large intestine developed image of an inside of the subject obtained by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of captured image data, the large intestine developed image being added with biopsy position mark indicating a position in the subject at which the treatment is performed, and displays the generated large intestine developed image on a display device.

An endoscope includes in order from an object side, an objective optical system, an optical-path splitter, an image sensor, and an image processor. A λ/4 wavelength plate is disposed between the objective optical system and the splitter. The splitter includes first and second prisms, and has a beam splitting surface at which the first prism and the second prism are brought into close contact. The splitter splits light at the beam splitting surface, into a first optical path through which P-polarized light is transmitted and a second optical path through which S-polarized light is reflected. The first and second prisms are slid relative to one another along the beam splitting surface to adjust optical path lengths of the first and second optical paths, and are disposed at positions to cancel an amount of shift in focusing positions of extraordinary and ordinary light, and satisfy specific conditional expressions.

Medical devices and methods related to endoscopic systems suitable for hysterectomy and other purposes.

The disclosure extends to methods, devices, and systems for removing speckle from a coherent light source, such as laser light. The methods, devices, and systems help eliminate or reduce speckle introduced from a coherent light source, such as laser light, by utilizing the teachings and principles of the disclosure.