Endoscopes for internal organs cancer diagnostics based on television and multispectral methods of image processing

Abstract

Endoscopes are applied widely for diagnostics of different diseases of internal organs. However, simultaneous transmission of spectral and spatial information by means of even the most perfect endoscopes meets significant obstacles. A new kind of endoscope has been proposed in this paper, in which the image of internal organ is transmitted not only by video camera but also some certain fragments of the image are transmitted by the image transmitter based on fiber optics. This composition provides elimination of the information losses which are connected with three-colored principle of television image transmission. Additional spectral information increases the reliability of diagnoses made on the base of data presented by endoscope. The structural circuit of the proposed endoscope has been considered and discussed. The most common area of practical application of this endoscope is internal organs oncology diagnostics. In order to perform such diagnostics, some preliminary investigations are required because the reflection spectra of human tissues defeated by the cancer cells, are not yet known. Such hybrid endoscope can be used in gastroscopy, bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, and all other similar areas. The principle of multispectral processing which is used in fiber-optics-based sensors provides obtaining of maximum possible spectral information in addition to high spatial resolution provided by RGB camera.