U.S. patent application number 13/452235 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-09 for capsule guiding system.
This patent application is currently assigned to OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.. Invention is credited to Atsushi KIMURA, Ryoji SATO, Akio UCHIYAMA.
Application Number | 20120203068 13/452235 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40792469 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120203068 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SATO; Ryoji ; et
al. |
August 9, 2012 |
CAPSULE GUIDING SYSTEM
Abstract
A capsule guiding system includes a magnetic guiding unit, a
displaying unit, an operation unit, and a control unit. The
magnetic guiding unit guides, using magnetic force, a
capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside a subject. The
displaying unit displays an image of the subject and an image of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus as an overlapped image, and
changes relative position and relative direction between the two
images as the capsule-shaped medical apparatus is guided by the
magnetic guiding unit. The operation unit inputs coordinate
information which specifies movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus. The control unit adjusts
coordinate system of the displaying unit and coordinate system of
the operation unit to be consistent with each other, transforms the
coordinate information input from the operation unit into the
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding unit, and controls the
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus based on the
transformed coordinate information.
Inventors: |
SATO; Ryoji; (Tokyo, JP)
; KIMURA; Atsushi; (Tokyo, JP) ; UCHIYAMA;
Akio; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Assignee: |
OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS
CORP.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40792469 |
Appl. No.: |
13/452235 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12400240 |
Mar 9, 2009 |
|
|
|
13452235 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
600/117 ;
600/118 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 1/00158 20130101;
A61B 2034/732 20160201; A61B 1/0005 20130101; A61B 1/041
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/117 ;
600/118 |
International
Class: |
A61B 1/045 20060101
A61B001/045 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 10, 2008 |
JP |
2008-059287 |
Claims
1. A medical apparatus guiding system comprising: a medical
apparatus which is introduced inside a subject; a guiding apparatus
which guides the medical apparatus; a position-direction detecting
apparatus which detects a position and a direction of the medical
apparatus relative to the guiding apparatus; a man-machine
interface unit which includes an input apparatus which generates
instruction information to be transmitted to the guiding apparatus,
and a displaying apparatus which displays at least a detection
result of the position-direction detecting apparatus; and a
positional relation determining unit which determines a positional
relation between a direction of the guiding apparatus and a
direction of the man-machine interface unit, the medical apparatus
guiding system changing an operation direction of the input
apparatus or display of the displaying apparatus or both based on
output of the positional relation determining unit.
2. The medical apparatus guiding system according to claim 1,
wherein the positional relation determining unit determines the
positional relation by selecting the positional relation from
predetermined options of the positional relation.
3. A medical apparatus guiding system comprising: a medical
apparatus which is introduced inside a subject; a guiding apparatus
which guides the medical apparatus; a position-direction detecting
apparatus which detects a position and a direction of the medical
apparatus relative to the guiding apparatus; and a man-machine
interface unit which includes an input apparatus which generates
instruction information to be transmitted to the guiding apparatus,
and a displaying apparatus which displays at least a detection
result of the position-direction detecting apparatus, the medical
apparatus guiding system changing an operation direction of the
input apparatus or display of the displaying apparatus or both
based on the direction of the medical apparatus detected by the
position-direction detecting apparatus and a direction of the
man-machine interface unit.
4. A displaying system comprising: position sensors which are
arranged on the subject, and measure a body position of the
subject; an introduced apparatus which is introduced inside the
subject; an introduced-apparatus-position detector which detects a
position of the introduced apparatus; a display which displays a
detection result of the position sensors and a detection result of
the introduced-apparatus-position detector; a storage which
continuously stores position information of the guiding apparatus
detected by the introduced-apparatus-position detector; and a
display controller which changes a display state of the subject on
the display based on a measurement result of the position sensors,
and displays the position information of the introduced apparatus
stored in the storage on the display.
5. The displaying system according to claim 4 further comprising a
body position model of the subject, wherein the body position model
is displayed based on output of the display controller.
6. The displaying system according to claim 5, wherein the body
position model is an arrangement model of digestive tracts of the
subject.
7. The displaying system according to claim 4, wherein the position
information of the introduced apparatus stored in the storage is
displayed as a smooth continuous locus.
8. A displaying system of a guiding apparatus, comprising: an
introduced apparatus which is introduced inside the subject; a
guiding apparatus which guides the introduced apparatus; body
position sensors which measure a body position of the subject
relative to the guiding apparatus; an introduced-apparatus-position
detector which measures a position of the introduced apparatus
relative to the guiding apparatus; a display which displays the
body position of the subject and the position of the introduced
apparatus relative to the guiding apparatus; and a storage which
continuously stores position information of the introduced
apparatus detected by the introduced-apparatus-position detector,
the position information of the introduced apparatus which is
stored in the storage being displayed on the display.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/400,240, filed on Mar. 9, 2009, which is
based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. 2008-059287, filed on Mar. 10, 2008, the entire
contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a capsule guiding system
which guides a capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside a
subject, e.g., a patient.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, there has been a capsule-shaped medical
apparatus which can be introduced inside a digestive tract of a
subject, e.g., a patient. The capsule-shaped medical apparatus is
swallowed from a mouth of the subject, and picks up in-vivo
information such as images of insides of organs of the subject
(hereinafter, "in-vivo images") while moving inside the digestive
tract due to a peristalsis or the like. The capsule-shaped medical
apparatus then wirelessly transmits the obtained in-vivo
information to a receiver which is arranged outside the subject.
The capsule-shaped medical apparatus starts to obtain the in-vivo
information of the subject when introduced inside the digestive
tract of the subject, and continues to do so until naturally
excreted outside the subject.
[0006] Recently, there has been proposed a capsule guiding system
which guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside
the subject by magnetic force. For example, Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. 2007-216040 discloses a capsule guiding
system (i.e., a medical apparatus guiding system) in which a
capsule-shaped medical apparatus whose capsule-shaped container
contains a magnet magnetized in a radial direction and has spiral
projections on an outer surface thereof is introduced inside the
digestive tract of the subject, and then rotating magnetic field
generated by a rotating magnetic field generating unit is applied
to the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject so that
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus is guided to a desired
position inside the subject.
[0007] In general, the capsule guiding system includes a displaying
apparatus which displays in-vivo images and the like captured by
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject, and an
operating apparatus, e.g., a joystick for operating the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject.
When a user (i.e., an operator) such as a doctor and a nurse uses
the capsule guiding system to magnetically guide the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus inside the subject, the displaying apparatus
displays thereon a schematic image showing a schematic body shape
of the subject and a schematic image showing an outer shape of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus, and the user operates the
operating apparatus with reference to a position and a longitudinal
direction of the schematic image of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus in the schematic image of the subject which is displayed
on the displaying apparatus. In this case, the user can view a
relative movement direction or a relative rotation direction of the
schematic image of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus relative to
the schematic image of the subject displayed on the displaying
apparatus, and thus can understand a magnetic guiding direction of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A capsule guiding system according to an aspect of the
present invention includes a magnetic guiding unit which guides a
capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside a subject by
magnetic force, a displaying unit which displays a subject image
showing the subject and a capsule image showing the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus as an overlapped image and changes a relative
position or a relative direction of the subject image and the
capsule image according to a guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus performed by the magnetic guiding unit, an operation unit
which inputs coordinate information specifying a movement direction
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus, and operates the guiding
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus performed by the magnetic
guiding unit, and a control unit which adjusts a coordinate system
of a display screen of the displaying unit and a coordinate system
of an input operation direction of the operation unit to be
consistent with each other, performs a coordinate transformation
which transforms the coordinate information input by the operation
unit into the coordinate system of the magnetic guiding unit, and
controls the guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus based
on the coordinate information on which the coordinate
transformation is performed.
[0009] A medical apparatus guiding system according to an aspect of
the present invention includes a medical apparatus which is
introduced inside a subject, a guiding apparatus which guides the
medical apparatus, a position-direction detecting apparatus which
detects a position and a direction of the medical apparatus
relative to the guiding apparatus, a man-machine interface unit
which includes an input apparatus which generates instruction
information to be transmitted to the guiding apparatus, and a
displaying apparatus which displays at least a detection result of
the position-direction detecting apparatus, and a positional
relation selecting unit which selects a direction of the guiding
apparatus and a positional relation of the man-machine interface
unit. The medical apparatus guiding system changes an operation
direction of the input apparatus or display of the displaying
apparatus or both based on a selection result of the positional
relation selecting unit.
[0010] A medical apparatus guiding system according to an aspect of
the present invention includes, a medical apparatus which is
introduced inside a subject, a guiding apparatus which guides the
medical apparatus, a position-direction detecting apparatus which
detects a position and a direction of the medical apparatus
relative to the guiding apparatus, a man-machine interface unit
which includes an input apparatus which generates instruction
information to be transmitted to the guiding apparatus, and a
displaying apparatus which displays at least a detection result of
the position-direction detecting apparatus, and a positional
relation determining unit which determines a positional relation
between a direction of the guiding apparatus and a direction of the
man-machine interface unit. The medical apparatus guiding system
changes an operation direction of the input apparatus or display of
the displaying apparatus or both based on output of the positional
relation determining unit.
[0011] A medical apparatus guiding system according to an aspect of
the present invention includes a medical apparatus which is
introduced inside a subject, a guiding apparatus which guides the
medical apparatus, a position-direction detecting apparatus which
detects a position and a direction of the medical apparatus
relative to the guiding apparatus, and a man-machine interface unit
which includes an input apparatus which generates instruction
information to be transmitted to the guiding apparatus, and a
displaying apparatus which displays at least a detection result of
the position-direction detecting apparatus. The medical apparatus
guiding system changes an operation direction of the input
apparatus or display of the displaying apparatus or both based on
the direction of the medical apparatus detected by the
position-direction detecting apparatus and a direction of the
man-machine interface unit.
[0012] A displaying system according to an aspect of the present
invention includes position sensors which are arranged on the
subject, and measure a body position of the subject, an introduced
apparatus which is introduced inside the subject, an
introduced-apparatus-position detector which detects a position of
the introduced apparatus, a display which displays a detection
result of the position sensors and a detection result of the
introduced-apparatus-position detector, a storage which
continuously stores position information of the guiding apparatus
detected by the introduced-apparatus-position detector, and a
display controller which changes a display state of the subject on
the display based on a measurement result of the position sensors,
and displays the position information of the introduced apparatus
stored in the storage on the display.
[0013] A displaying system of a guiding apparatus according to an
aspect of the present invention includes an introduced apparatus
which is introduced inside the subject, a guiding apparatus which
guides the introduced apparatus, body position sensors which
measure a body position of the subject relative to the guiding
apparatus, an introduced-apparatus-position detector which measures
a position of the introduced apparatus relative to the guiding
apparatus, a display which displays the body position of the
subject and the position of the introduced apparatus relative to
the guiding apparatus, and a storage which continuously stores
position information of the introduced apparatus detected by the
introduced-apparatus-position detector. The position information of
the introduced apparatus which is stored in the storage is
displayed on the display.
[0014] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of schematic
configuration of a capsule guiding system according to a first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary schematic configuration of a
displaying apparatus of a capsule guiding system according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary schematic configuration of an
operation unit of the capsule guiding system according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary schematic configuration of a
capsule-shaped medical apparatus of the capsule guiding system
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a procedure of a control unit for
controlling a magnetic guiding apparatus to magnetically guide the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a procedure of the control unit for
changing display information of a displaying apparatus according to
change of a body position of a subject;
[0021] FIG. 7 shows a schematic concrete explanation of operations
of the capsule guiding system in operating the magnetic guiding of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a correspondence
relation between a coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus and a coordinate system of a display screen of a
displaying apparatus;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a correspondence
relation between the input operation direction of the operation
unit and the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus; and
[0024] FIG. 10 shows a schematic concrete explanation of change in
display information of the displaying apparatus according to the
change of body position of the subject.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Exemplary embodiments of a capsule guiding system of the
present invention are described below. A capsule-shaped medical
apparatus which captures in-vivo images of a subject is described
below as an example of a capsule-shaped medical apparatus of the
capsule guiding system according to the present invention. The
embodiments, however, do not intend to limit the scope of the
invention.
[0026] FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of schematic
configuration of a capsule guiding system according to a first
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a capsule
guiding system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which is introduced inside a
digestive tract of a subject 15, e.g., a patient, a position
detecting apparatus 3 which detects a position and the like of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the body of the subject
15, a receiving apparatus 4 which receives in-vivo images of the
subject 15 taken by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, and a
body position detecting unit 5 which detects a body position of the
subject 15 who lies on a patient table 16, e.g., a bed. Further,
the capsule guiding system 1 includes a magnetic guiding apparatus
6 which guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15 by magnetic force, a magnetic guiding power unit 7 which
supplies power for the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and an
operation unit 8 which operates a guiding which is performed
magnetically (hereinafter, "magnetic guiding") on the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 by the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6. Further, the capsule guiding system 1 includes an
input unit 9 which inputs various information, a displaying
apparatus 10 which displays various information such as in-vivo
images of the subject 15, a direction detecting unit 11 which
detects a relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6, a storing unit 12 which stores
various information such as a group of in-vivo images of the
subject 15, and a control unit 13 which controls each component of
the capsule guiding system 1.
[0027] The capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is a medical
apparatus having a shape of a capsule, obtains in-vivo images (an
example of information inside the subject) of the subject, and has
an imaging function and a wireless communication function.
Specifically, the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is introduced
inside the body of the subject 15, e.g., a patient, and
continuously captures the in-vivo images while moving inside the
digestive tract of the subject 15. In each capturing of the in-vivo
image of the subject 15, the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
wirelessly transmits an image signal including the captured in-vivo
image to the receiving apparatus 4 which is arranged outside the
subject 15. Further, the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
contains a magnetic body, e.g., a permanent magnet or an
electromagnet (hereinafter, both may be simply referred to as
"magnet"), and is magnetically guided according to a magnetic field
generated by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
[0028] The position detecting apparatus 3 detects a position and a
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the body
of the subject 15. The position detecting apparatus 3 includes a
drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a which generates a magnetic
field for detecting the position and the direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, a drive power unit 3b which
supplies power for the drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a, a
magnetic field detecting unit 3c which detects a magnetic field
from the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, and a
position-direction calculating unit 3d which calculates the
position and the direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 inside the subject 15.
[0029] The drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a is realized by a
coil and the like which generates a magnetic field in the direction
of each axis of an absolute coordinate system of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 described later. The drive-magnetic-field
generating unit 3a generates the magnetic field in the direction of
each axis of the absolute coordinate system by using power
(specifically, alternate current) supplied from the drive power
unit 3b, and applies the generated magnetic field to the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. The drive-magnetic-field
generating unit 3a generates a guiding magnetic field in the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 by the magnetic field which is
applied to the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2.
[0030] The drive power unit 3b supplies for the
drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a the alternate current which
is needed for generating magnetic field to be applied to the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 under the control of the control
unit 13. The direction and strength of the magnetic field generated
by the drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a described above are
controlled by the alternate current (an amount of power from the
drive power unit 3b) supplied from the drive power unit 3b.
[0031] The magnetic field detecting unit 3c is realized, for
example, by plural detection coils which are arranged in a grid,
and detects the guiding magnetic field released from the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 because of the magnetic field
generated by the drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a described
above. The magnetic field detecting unit 3c transmits a detection
result of the guiding magnetic field from the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 to the position-direction calculating unit
3d.
[0032] The position-direction calculating unit 3d calculates the
position and the direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 inside the subject 15. Specifically, the position-direction
calculating unit 3d calculates space coordinates and a direction
vector (vectors in each of a longitudinal direction and a radial
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2) of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the absolute coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 every time the
position-direction calculating unit 3d obtains from the magnetic
field detecting unit 3c, the detection result of the guiding
magnetic field which is released from the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2. The position-direction calculating unit 3d calculates
a three-dimensional current position and a three-dimensional
current direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15 based on the space coordinates and the direction
vector of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the absolute
coordinate system. The position-direction calculating unit 3d
transmits the current position information and the current
direction information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
calculated as above to the control unit 13.
[0033] The direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
calculated by the position-direction calculating unit 3d is
determined by a state of rotation around the longitudinal axis of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. The state above is
determined by the longitudinal direction of the capsule-shaped
container of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, and the radial
direction of the capsule-shaped container (i.e., directions along
two orthogonal axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction of the capsule-shaped container).
[0034] The receiving apparatus 4 includes plural receiving antennas
4a which receive wireless signals from the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2. The receiving apparatus 4 receives the wireless
signals from the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 via the
receiving antennas 4a. Specifically, the receiving antennas 4a are
separately arranged on a body surface of the subject 15, and
receive the wireless signals from the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 which moves inside the digestive tract of the subject
15. The receiving apparatus 4 selects one of the receiving antennas
4a which receives strongest electric field, and receives the
wireless signals from the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 via
the selected receiving antenna. The receiving apparatus 4 performs
a demodulation process and the like on the wireless signal received
from the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 to thereby obtain the
image signal (i.e., the image signal including the in-vivo images
of the subject 15 captured by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2) corresponding to the wireless signal, and transmits the obtained
image signal to the control unit 13.
[0035] The body position detecting unit 5 detects the body position
of the subject 15 who contains the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 inside his body. Specifically, the body position detecting unit 5
includes three detection coils 5a to 5c which are arranged on the
body surface of the subject 15. The detection coils 5a to 5c are
arranged near the sides of the subject 15, and near the lower
abdomen of the subject 15, respectively, and detect the magnetic
field generated by the drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a or
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The body position detecting unit
5 obtains a magnetic-field detection result of the detection coils
5a to 5c, and calculates each of positional coordinates and
direction vectors of the detection coils 5a to 5c (e.g., normal
vectors of the detection coils 5a to 5c) in the absolute coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 based on the obtained
magnetic-field detection result.
[0036] Each of the positional coordinates and the direction vectors
of the detection coils 5a to 5c calculated by the body position
detecting unit 5 is maintained relatively to the subject 15, and
changes according to change of the body position of the subject 15.
In this case, the position and the direction (i.e., the body
position of the subject 15) of an upper body of the subject 15 in
the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
are determined based on each of the positional coordinates of the
detection coils 5a to 5c. The body position detecting unit 5
detects each of the positional coordinates of the detection coils
5a to 5c as the information which specifies the body position of
the subject 15, and transmits a detection result of the body
position to the control unit 13.
[0037] The positions where the detection coils 5a to 5c of the body
position detecting unit 5 are arranged are not limited to be the
neighborhood of both sides and the lower abdomen, and may be
arbitrary positions on the body surface of the subject 15 as long
as the detection coils 5a to 5c are not arranged in a straight
line. It is preferable, however, that the detection coils 5a to 5c
be arranged at positions on the body surface where the position and
the direction thereof changes sensitively according to the change
of body position of the subject 15 (e.g., positions near sides of
the upper body), and further that distance among the detection
coils 5a to 5c be as long as possible. The number of the detection
coils arranged on the body surface of the subject is not limited to
three, and may be four or more.
[0038] The magnetic guiding apparatus 6 is realized by plural
electromagnets, e.g., Helmholtz coils which are combined together,
and magnetically guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
inside the subject 15. Specifically, the absolute coordinate
system, i.e., a triaxial orthogonal coordinate system formed by
three orthogonal axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) is defined, and
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 generates the magnetic field of
desired strength along each of the axes (along X-axis, Y-axis, and
Z-axis) of the absolute coordinate system. The magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 positions the subject 15 lying on the patient table 16
in the inner space (i.e., the inner space surrounded by the plural
electromagnets of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6) of the absolute
coordinate system, applies the three-dimensional rotating magnetic
field or a three-dimensional gradient magnetic field generated by
the magnetic field along each of the axes of the absolute
coordinate system to the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15, and thereby operating, i.e., magnetically guiding
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. The magnetic field (i.e.,
the rotating magnetic field and the gradient magnetic field) along
each of the axes in the absolute coordinate system generated by the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6 is controlled by the alternate current
supplied from the magnetic guiding power unit 7 (i.e., by the
amount of electricity from the magnetic guiding power unit 7). The
patient table 16 includes a drive unit (not shown) which can move
the patient table 16 along Z-axis of the absolute coordinate
system. The patient table 16 is moved along Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system to move the subject 15 into or out of the inner
space of the absolute coordinate system.
[0039] The absolute coordinate system may be a triaxial orthogonal
coordinate system which is defined based on the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 (i.e., which is fixated on the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6), and, further, may be a triaxial orthogonal coordinate
system which is fixated on the subject 15 who contains the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the digestive tract, or a
triaxial orthogonal coordinate system which is fixated on the
patient table 16 on which the subject 15 is positioned.
[0040] The magnetic guiding power unit 7 supplies the alternate
current for the electromagnet of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
under the control of the control unit 13, whereby the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 is made to release the magnetic field (the
magnetic field along each of the axes of the absolute coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6) needed for the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15.
[0041] The operation unit 8 operates the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which is performed by the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Specifically, the operation unit 8
includes two joysticks 8a, 8b for operating the three-dimensional
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and
a selection button group 8c for selecting an operation screen for
the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 from
a display screen of the displaying apparatus 10 described later.
The operation unit 8 inputs operation information for the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 performed by the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6 to the control unit 13 based on input
operation of the joysticks 8a, 8b by the user (operator) such as a
doctor and a nurse. The operation information of the magnetic
guiding which is input from the operation unit 8 specifies a
movement direction and a movement speed of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 which is magnetically guided by the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6.
[0042] The input unit 9 is realized by input devices such as a
keyboard and a mouse, and inputs various information to the control
unit 13 based on the input operation by the user such as a doctor
and a nurse. The various information which is input to the control
unit 13 from the input unit 9 is, for example, instruction
information which includes instructions for the control unit 13,
patient information of the subject, and examination information of
the subject. The patient information of the subject is
identification information for identifying the subject, and
includes, for example, a patient name of the subject, a patient ID,
birth date, sex, and ge. The examination information of the subject
is identification information for identifying an examination by a
capsule-shaped endoscope (an examination for observing the inside
of the digestive tract using the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
introduced inside the digestive tract) to be performed on the
subject, and includes, for example, an examination ID, and
examination date.
[0043] The displaying apparatus 10 is realized by various displays
such as a CRT display and a liquid crystal display, and displays
various information which is to be displayed according to the
instruction of the control unit 13. Specifically, the displaying
apparatus 10 includes position-direction displaying units 10a to
10c which display the position and the direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15, and an
image displaying unit 10d which displays in-vivo images of the
subject 15 captured by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. The
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c schematically
display a position and a direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 viewed from different directions
(for example, directions along X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6). On
the other hand, the image displaying unit 10d sequentially displays
in real time the in-vivo images of the subject 15 which are
sequentially captured by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2.
Further, the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the
image displaying unit 10d of the displaying apparatus 10 may
include operation screens to be selected via the selection button
group 8c of the operation unit 8 described above. The information
displayed on the displaying apparatus 10 includes the patient
information, the examination information, and the like of the
subject 15 which are useful for the capsule-shaped endoscope
examination as well as the in-vivo images of the subject 15
described above.
[0044] The direction detecting unit 11 detects a relative direction
of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
Specifically, the direction detecting unit 11 is realized by plural
coils and the like whose relative directions are maintained
relatively to the displaying apparatus 10. The direction detecting
unit 11 detects the magnetic field released by the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 described above. Based on a detection result of the
magnetic field, the direction detecting unit 11 detects the
relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The
direction detecting unit 11 transmits the detection result of the
relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the control
unit 13. The relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 is used for determining a relative
coordinate system of the displaying apparatus 10 to the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
[0045] The storing unit 12 is realized by various rewritable
storage medium such as a RAM, an EFPROM, a flash memory, and a hard
disk for storing information. The storing unit 12 stores therein
various information which is to be stored according to the
instruction of the control unit 13, and outputs information, of the
stored various information, which is read out according to the
instruction of the control unit 13 to the control unit 13. The
storing unit 12 stores therein, under the control of the control
unit 13, the in-vivo image group of the subject 15, the patient
information and the examination information of the subject 15, the
position information and the direction information of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15, and the
like.
[0046] The control unit 13 controls operations of each component of
the capsule guiding system 1 (the position detecting apparatus 3,
the receiving apparatus 4, the body position detecting unit 5, the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6, the magnetic guiding power unit 7,
the operation unit 8, the input unit 9, the displaying apparatus
10, the direction detecting unit 11, and the storing unit 12), and
controls input and output of signals to be transmitted among the
components. Specifically, the control unit 13 controls each
operation of the receiving apparatus 4, the displaying apparatus
10, the direction detecting unit 11, and the storing unit 12
described above based on the instruction information which is input
from the input unit 9. Further, the control unit 13 controls, at
predetermined time intervals, the amount of electricity supplied
from the drive power unit 3b for the drive-magnetic-field
generating unit 3a to thereby control the operation of the
drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a for generating the magnetic
field. When the magnetic field is generated by the
drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a (in other words, every time
the guiding magnetic field from the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 is detected by the magnetic field detecting unit 3c),
the control unit 13 controls the position-direction calculating
unit 3d to calculate the position and the direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15. The
control unit 13 controls the body position detecting unit 5 to
detect the body position of the subject 15 at predetermined time
intervals. The control unit 13 sequentially obtains a calculation
result of the position and the direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 calculated by the position-direction
calculating unit 3d, sequentially obtains the image signal
including the in-vivo images of the subject 15 from the receiving
apparatus 4, and sequentially obtains a body position detection
result of the subject 15 from the body position detecting unit
5.
[0047] Further, the control unit 13 includes a display control unit
13a which controls the displaying apparatus 10, a guiding control
unit 13b which controls the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, a
coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c which performs
coordinate transformation on the operation information input from
the operation unit 8, a locus generating unit 13d which calculates
a locus of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15, and an image processing unit 13e which generates the
image information such as the in-vivo images of the subject 15.
[0048] The display control unit 13a controls the relative
coordinate system of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6, and the display operation of the displaying
apparatus 10. Specifically, the display control unit 13a obtains a
detection result of the direction detecting unit 11, i.e., the
relative direction information of the displaying apparatus 10 to
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Based on the obtained relative
direction information, the display control unit 13a determines the
relative coordinate system of the displaying apparatus 10 to the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
Based on the relative coordinate system of the displaying apparatus
10, the display control unit 13a sets the coordinate systems of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c of the displaying
apparatus 10, respectively. The relative direction of the
displaying apparatus 10 is, for example, the relative direction of
the display screen of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6.
[0049] The display control unit 13a obtains the position
information and the direction information of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 calculated by the position-direction
calculating unit 3d, and displays the obtained position information
and direction information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c of the
displaying apparatus 10, respectively. In this case, the display
control unit 13a displays the position information and the
direction information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 as
image information (a capsule image and a subject image described
later) processed by the image processing unit 13e, and locus
information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 generated by
the locus generating unit 13d on the position-direction displaying
units 10a to 10c. When the display control unit 13a obtains the
position information and the direction information of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 from the position-direction
calculating unit 3d, the display control unit 13a updates the
position information, direction information, and the locus
information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which are to
be displayed on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c
with the latest information. Further, based on the detection result
of the body position detecting unit 5, the display control unit 13a
determines whether the body position of the subject 15 is changed.
When the body position of the subject 15 is changed, the display
control unit 13a changes the display information of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c according to the
change of body position of the subject 15. On the other hand, the
display control unit 13a sequentially obtains the image signal from
the receiving apparatus 4, and at the same time, displays the
in-vivo image generated by the image processing unit 13e (i.e., the
in-vivo image of the subject 15 captured by the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2) on the image displaying unit 10d.
[0050] The guiding control unit 13b controls, based on the
operation information which is input from the operation unit 8, the
amount of electricity supplied from the magnetic guiding power unit
7 for the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Thus, the guiding control
unit 13b controls the magnetic guiding power unit 7, and thereby
controlling the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 described
above. In this case, the guiding control unit 13b adjusts the
coordinate system of the display screen of the displaying apparatus
10 and the coordinate system of the operation direction input from
the operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other, and
controls, based on the operation information which is transformed
into the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 by the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c,
the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Thus, the movement
direction and movement speed of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 being magnetically guided are controlled by the guiding
control unit 13b. Further, the guiding control unit 13b determines
a correspondence relation between the input operation direction of
the operation unit 8 (specifically, the input operation direction
of the joysticks 8a, 8b) and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 based on the detection result of
the direction detecting unit 11, i.e., based on the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6. The guiding control unit 13b changes the
correspondence relation between the input operation direction and
the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
according to change of the relative direction of the displaying
apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
[0051] Coordinate systems of the screen of the displaying apparatus
10 are the coordinate systems of the position-direction displaying
units 10a to 10c and are set by the display control unit 13a based
on the detection result of the direction detecting unit 11. The
input operation direction of the operation unit 8 is represented by
the coordinate system which is set based on the tilted direction of
the joysticks 8a, 8b of the operation unit 8. The operation
information input from the operation unit 8 is the instruction
information for instructing the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. Thus, the operation information
includes the coordinate information which specifies the movement
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided, and the speed information which specifies the
movement speed of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided.
[0052] The coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c transforms
the coordinate information which is input from the operation unit 8
into the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6. Specifically, the coordinate-transformation processing
unit 13c transforms the coordinate information included in the
operation information (more specifically, the coordinate
information which specifies the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided) input
from the operation unit 8 into the coordinate information of the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
based on the detection result of the direction detecting unit 11,
i.e., based on the relative direction information of the displaying
apparatus 10 to the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6. The operation information including the
coordinate information on which the coordinate transformation is
performed by the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c is
used by the guiding control unit 13b described above for
controlling the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2.
[0053] The locus generating unit 13d generates the locus
information which shows a movement locus of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15. Specifically, the locus
generating unit 13d continuously obtains the position information
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which is calculated by
the position-direction calculating unit 3d, and generates the locus
information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 based on a
group of obtained position information of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2. The locus information generated by the locus
generating unit 13d is a locus which connects the group of position
information (information on plural position coordinates) of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 by line
segments or the like. The locus information is displayed on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c of the displaying
apparatus 10 based on the control of the display control unit
13a.
[0054] The image processing unit 13e generates various image
information displayed on the displaying apparatus 10. Specifically,
the image processing unit 13e obtains the image signal from the
receiving apparatus 4, and performs a predetermined imaging process
on the image signal to generate the in-vivo image of the subject 15
(i.e., the in-vivo image captured by the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2). In receiving the image signal from the receiving
apparatus 4, the image processing unit 13e sequentially generates
the in-vivo image based on the obtained image signal. The in-vivo
images generated by the image processing unit 13e are sequentially
displayed on the image displaying unit 10d under the control of the
display control unit 13a.
[0055] Further, the image processing unit 13e generates a schematic
image (hereinafter, "subject image") which schematically shows the
subject 15, and a schematic image (hereinafter, "capsule image")
which schematically shows the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 as
the image information for displaying the position and the direction
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15.
The subject image and the capsule image generated by the image
processing unit 13e are displayed (specifically, as an overlapped
image) on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c under
the control of the display control unit 13a, respectively.
[0056] The displaying apparatus 10 of the capsule guiding system 1
according to the embodiment of the present invention is described
in detail. FIG. 2 shows exemplary schematic configuration of the
displaying apparatus of the capsule guiding system according to the
embodiment of the present invention. The displaying apparatus 10
displays the in-vivo image of the subject 15 captured by the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the position information and
the direction information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
inside the subject 15, and the like under the control of the
display control unit 13a.
[0057] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the displaying apparatus
10 includes the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c that
display position information, direction information, and the like
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15,
and the image displaying unit 10d that displays an in-vivo image P
of the subject 15 captured by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2.
[0058] The position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c are
different-viewpoint displaying units which display the position
information and the direction information of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three different
viewpoints. Specifically, the position-direction displaying unit
10a displays the position information and the direction information
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15,
and the like, taking a negative direction of Y-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (see FIG. 1) of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
described above as a viewing direction. Specifically, x-z
coordinate system, which is one of the coordinate systems of the
display screen of the displaying apparatus 10, is set as the
coordinate system of the screen of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a, and then the position-direction displaying
unit 10a displays a subject image K1 which is a schematic image of
the subject 15 viewed from the negative direction of Y-axis of the
absolute coordinate system, and a capsule image D1 which is a
schematic image of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed
from the same direction (the negative direction of Y-axis) as an
overlapped image. In the overlapped image, the position-direction
displaying unit 10a displays the position information and the
direction information (i.e., positional coordinates and a direction
vector of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in X-Z plane of
the absolute coordinate system) of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 inside the subject 15, taking a negative direction of
the Y-axis as a viewing direction. The direction vector of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the X-Z plane is indicated by
a longitudinal direction of the capsule image D1. Further, the
position-direction displaying unit 10a displays locus information
L1 of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed from the
negative direction of the Y-axis, and a table image B1 which is a
schematic image of the patient table 16 as well as the subject
image K1 and the capsule image D1.
[0059] The position-direction displaying unit 10a changes a
relative position or a relative direction of the subject image K1
and the capsule image D1 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
The position-direction displaying unit 10a changes the positions or
the directions of the subject image K1, the capsule image D1, and
the locus information L1 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the change of body position of the subject
15. In this case, the position-direction displaying unit 10a
fixates the relative positions and the relative directions of the
subject image K1, the capsule image D1, and the locus information
L1. The position-direction displaying unit 10a changes directions
of the subject image K1, the capsule image D1, the locus
information L1, and the table image B1 under the control of the
display control unit 13a according to change of the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6.
[0060] The position-direction displaying unit 10b displays the
position information and the direction information of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15, and the
like, taking a negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 as a viewing
direction. Specifically, x-y coordinate system, which is one of the
coordinate systems of the display screen of the displaying
apparatus 10, is set as the coordinate system of the screen of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b, and then the
position-direction displaying unit 10b displays a subject image K2
which is a schematic image of the subject 15 viewed in the negative
direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system as a viewing
direction, and a capsule image D2 which is a schematic image of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed from the same direction
(negative direction of Z-axis) as an overlapped image. In the
overlapped image, the position-direction displaying unit 10b
displays the position information and the direction information
(positional coordinates and a direction vector of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in X-Y plane of the absolute
coordinate system) of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15 viewed in the negative direction of Z-axis as a
viewing direction. The direction vector of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in the X-Y plane is indicated by the
longitudinal direction of the capsule image D2. Further, the
position-direction displaying unit 10b displays locus information
L2 of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed in the negative
direction of the Z-axis as the viewing direction, and a table image
B2 which is a schematic image of the patient table 16 as well as
the subject image K2 and the capsule image D2.
[0061] The position-direction displaying unit 10b changes a
relative position or a relative direction of the subject image K2
and the capsule image D2 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
The position-direction displaying unit 10b changes the positions or
the directions of the subject image K2, the capsule image D2, and
the locus information L2 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the change of the body position of the
subject 15. In this case, the position-direction displaying unit
10b fixates the relative positions and the relative directions of
the subject image K2, the capsule image D2, and the locus
information L2. The position-direction displaying unit 10b changes
directions of the subject image K2, the capsule image D2, the locus
information L2, and the table image B2 under the control of the
display control unit 13a according to the change of relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6.
[0062] The position-direction displaying unit 10c displays the
position information and the direction information of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15, and the
like, taking a positive direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 as a viewing
direction. Specifically, y-z coordinate system, which is one of the
coordinate systems of the display screen of the displaying
apparatus 10, is set as the coordinate system of the screen of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b, and then the
position-direction displaying unit 10c displays a subject image K3
which is a schematic image of the subject 15 viewed in the positive
direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system as a viewing
direction, and a capsule image D3 which is a schematic image of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed from the same direction
(positive direction of X-axis) as an overlapped image. In the
overlapped image, the position-direction displaying unit 10c
displays the position information and the direction information
(positional coordinates and a direction vector of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in Y-Z plane of the absolute
coordinate system) of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15 viewed in the positive direction of X-axis as a
viewing direction. The direction vector of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in the Y-Z plane is indicated by the
longitudinal direction of the capsule image D3. Further, the
position-direction displaying unit 10c displays locus information
L3 of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 viewed in the positive
direction of the X-axis as the viewing direction, and a table image
B3 which is a schematic image of the patient table 16 as well as
the subject image K3 and the capsule image D3.
[0063] The position-direction displaying unit 10c changes a
relative position or a relative direction of the subject image K3
and the capsule image D3 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
The position-direction displaying unit 10c changes the positions or
the directions of the subject image K3, the capsule image D3, and
the locus information L3 under the control of the display control
unit 13a according to the change of the body position of the
subject 15. In this case, the position-direction displaying unit
10c fixates the relative positions and the relative directions of
the subject image K3, the capsule image D3, and the locus
information L3. The position-direction displaying unit 10c changes
directions of the subject image K3, the capsule image D3, the locus
information L3, and the table image B3 under the control of the
display control unit 13a according to the change of relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6.
[0064] When the displaying apparatus 10 is arranged toward the
negative direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system
relative to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, the viewing direction
to view the subject 15 lying on the patient table in the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 substantially coincides with the positive
direction of X-axis in the absolute coordinate system of the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Supposing that the viewpoint (viewing
direction from which is the positive direction of X-axis) from
which the displaying apparatus 10 views the subject 15 is defined
as a standard viewpoint, the position-direction displaying units
10a to 10c shown in FIG. 2 display the position information and the
direction information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
inside the subject 15 viewed from three different viewpoints based
on the viewing direction from the standard viewpoint. In this case,
x-direction and z-direction of x-z biaxial orthogonal coordinate
system set in the position-direction displaying unit 10a coincide
with X-direction and Z-direction of the absolute coordinate system
of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, respectively. Similarly,
x-direction and y-direction of x-y biaxial orthogonal coordinate
system set in the position-direction displaying unit 10b coincide
with X-direction and Y-direction of the absolute coordinate system
of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, respectively. Further,
y-direction and z-direction of y-z biaxial orthogonal coordinate
system set in the position-direction displaying unit 10c coincide
with Y-direction and Z-direction of the absolute coordinate system
of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, respectively.
[0065] As described above, the position-direction displaying units
10a to 10c change at least the directions of the subject images K1
to K3 and the capsule images D1 to D3 according to the change of
relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 or the change of body position of the subject
15, so that the body direction of the subject 15 on the patient
table 16 viewed from the displaying apparatus 10 can be kept
substantially consistent with the body direction of the subject 15
on the display screen (e.g., the subject images K1, K3).
[0066] When the viewpoint from which the displaying apparatus 10
views the subject 15 is the standard viewpoint as described above,
the directions along axes of each of the coordinate systems of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c (x-direction,
y-direction, and z-direction) coincide with the directions along
axes of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 (X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction),
respectively. On the other hand, when the viewpoint of the
displaying apparatus 10 is not the standard viewpoint, x-direction,
y-direction, and z-direction of each of the coordinate systems of
the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c are rotated from
X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction of the absolute
coordinate system by the angle formed between the viewing direction
of the standard viewpoint and the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus 10 to the absolute coordinate system of the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6, respectively.
[0067] The image displaying unit 10d displays an in-vivo image P of
the subject 15 captured by the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
under the control of the display control unit 13a. When the control
unit 13 receives the image signal of the in-vivo image P from the
receiving apparatus 4 (i.e., when the image processing unit 13e
generates the in-vivo image P), the image displaying unit 10d
sequentially switches the displayed in-vivo image P of the subject
15, and displays the latest in-vivo image P.
[0068] The operation unit 8 of the capsule guiding system 1
according to the embodiment of the present invention is described
in detail. FIG. 3 shows exemplary schematic configuration of the
operation unit of the capsule guiding system according to the
embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 8 includes the
joysticks 8a, 8b for operating the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 by the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6, and the selection button group 8c for selecting the
operation screen for the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 from the display screen of the displaying
apparatus 10.
[0069] The joysticks 8a, 8b are two input units for inputting the
operation information which specifies the movement direction and
the movement speed of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided. Specifically, for the joystick 8a, biaxial
orthogonal coordinate system formed by two orthogonal axes
(a1-axis, b1-axis) is previously set as the coordinate system of
the input operation direction, and the joystick 8a is tilted to a
horizontal direction (direction along a1-axis, herein after
"a1-direction"), or a vertical direction (direction along b1-axis,
hereinafter "b1-direction"), or an oblique direction in the biaxial
orthogonal coordinate system, whereby the joystick 8a inputs the
operation information of the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 to the control unit 13. Similarly, for the
joystick 8b, biaxial orthogonal coordinate system formed by two
orthogonal axes (a2-axis, b2-axis) is previously set as the
coordinate system of the input operation direction, and the
joystick 8b is tilted to a horizontal direction (direction along
a2-axis, hereinafter "a2-direction"), or a vertical direction
(direction along b2-axis, hereinafter "b2-direction"), or an
oblique direction in the biaxial orthogonal coordinate system,
whereby the joystick 8b inputs the operation information of the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 to the
control unit 13. A combined value of the couple of coordinate
information input through the tilting operation of the two
joysticks 8a, 8b is information which specifies the
three-dimensional movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 being magnetically guided. As described above, through
the tilting operation of the joysticks 8a, 8b, the operation unit 8
inputs the operation information which specifies the
three-dimensional movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 being magnetically guided to the control unit 13.
[0070] The coordinate information in the operation information
which is input via the joystick 8a specifies the movement direction
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically
guided, and is determined corresponding to the input operation
direction (tilted direction) of the joystick 8a. A tilted amount of
the operation information of the joystick 8a specifies the movement
speed of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically
guided. Similarly, the coordinate information in the operation
information which is input via the joystick 8b specifies the
movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided, and is determined corresponding to the input
operation direction (tilted direction) of the joystick 8b. A tilted
amount of the operation information of the joystick 8b specifies
the movement speed of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided.
[0071] As described, the selection button group 8c is a selection
unit for selecting the operation screen for the magnetic guiding of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 from the display screen of
the displaying apparatus 10. The selection button group 8c includes
four selection buttons 8c1, 8c2, 8c3, 8c4 corresponding to the
screens displayed on the displaying apparatus 10, i.e., to the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the image
displaying unit 10d, respectively.
[0072] The selection button 8c1 is an input button for selecting
the position-direction displaying unit 10a from the display screen
of the displaying apparatus 10 as the operation screen. When the
selection button 8c1 is pushed down, the selection information
indicating the position-direction displaying unit 10a is input to
the control unit 13. The guiding control unit 13b described above
selects the position-direction displaying unit 10a as the operation
screen based on the selection information which is input from the
selection button 8c1, and adjusts x-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a to be consistent with the
biaxial orthogonal coordinate system of the joysticks 8a, 8b. In
this case, a positive direction of a1-axis in the biaxial
orthogonal coordinate system of the joystick 8a is made consistent
with a positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a, and a positive direction of b1-axis thereof is
made consistent with a positive direction of x-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a. Further, the positive
direction of a2-axis or b2-axis in the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joystick 8b is made consistent with the
negative direction of y-axis which is perpendicular to x-axis and
z-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a.
[0073] The selection button 8c2 is an input button for selecting
the position-direction displaying unit 10b from the display screen
of the displaying apparatus 10 as the operation screen. When the
selection button 8c2 is pushed down, the selection information
indicating the position-direction displaying unit 10b is input to
the control unit 13. The guiding control unit 13b described above
selects the position-direction displaying unit 10b as the operation
screen based on the selection information which is input from the
selection button 8c2, and adjusts x-y coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b to be consistent with the
biaxial orthogonal coordinate system of the joysticks 8a, 8b. In
this case, a positive direction of a1-axis in the biaxial
orthogonal coordinate system of the joystick 8a is made consistent
with a negative direction of y-axis of the position-direction
displaying unit 10b, and a positive direction of b1-axis thereof is
made consistent with a positive direction of x-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b. Further, the positive
direction of a2-axis or b2-axis in the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joystick 8b is made consistent with the
negative direction of z-axis which is perpendicular to x-axis and
y-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10b.
[0074] The selection button 8c3 is an input button for selecting
the position-direction displaying unit 10c from the display screen
of the displaying apparatus 10 as the operation screen. When the
selection button 8c3 is pushed down, the selection information
indicating the position-direction displaying unit 10c is input to
the control unit 13. The guiding control unit 13b described above
selects the position-direction displaying unit 10c as the operation
screen based on the selection information which is input from the
selection button 8c3, and adjusts y-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10c to be consistent with the
biaxial orthogonal coordinate system of the joysticks 8a, 8b. In
this case, the positive direction of a1-axis in the biaxial
orthogonal coordinate system of the joystick 8a is made consistent
with a positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction
displaying unit 10c, and the positive direction of b1-axis thereof
is made consistent with a positive direction of y-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10c. Further, the positive
direction of a2-axis or b2-axis in the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joystick 8b is made consistent with the
positive direction of x-axis which is perpendicular to y-axis and
z-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10c.
[0075] The selection button 8c4 is an input button for selecting
the image displaying unit 10d from the display screen of the
displaying apparatus 10 as the operation screen. When the selection
button 8c4 is pushed down, the selection information indicating the
image displaying unit 10d is input to the control unit 13. The
guiding control unit 13b described above selects the image
displaying unit 10d as the operation screen based on the selection
information which is input from the selection button 8c4, and
adjusts the biaxial orthogonal coordinate system of the image
displaying unit 10d to be consistent with the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joysticks 8a, 8b. The biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the image displaying unit 10d is consistent
with a coordinate system defined by a vertical axis and a
horizontal axis of a light-receiving surface of an imaging device
(described later) embedded in the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2. In this case, the direction of a1-axis in the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joystick 8a is made consistent with a
horizontal direction of the image displaying unit 10d, and the
direction of b1-axis thereof is made consistent with a vertical
direction of the image displaying unit 10d. Further, the positive
direction of a2-axis or b2-axis in the biaxial orthogonal
coordinate system of the joystick 8b is made consistent with a
direction which vertically crosses the image displaying unit 10d
toward a back side of the screen from a front side thereof.
[0076] When the operation screen is selected from the display
screen of the displaying apparatus 10 through the operation of the
selection buttons 8c1, 8c2, 8c3, 8c4, the display control unit 13a
described above controls the displaying apparatus 10 to highlight
the selected operation screen (one of the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c and the image displaying unit 10d) on
the display screen. Specifically, for example, when the
position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected as the operation
screen, the displaying apparatus 10 highlights the selected
position-direction displaying unit 10a with a marker E1 which is
illustrated in FIG. 2 so that operators or the like in an outside
can see that the position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected
as the operation screen.
[0077] The capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 of the capsule
guiding system 1 according to the embodiment of the present
invention is described in detail. FIG. 4 shows schematic exemplary
configuration of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus of the
capsule guiding system according to the embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 includes a capsule-shaped container formed by a cylinder-shaped
container 20a and a dome-shaped container 20b. The whole or a part
of the cylinder-shaped container 20a transmits light in a
predetermined band of wavelength (e.g., infrared light) while the
cylinder-shaped container 20a does not transmit visible light. On
the other hand, the dome-shaped container 20b transmits the visible
light. One end of the cylinder-shaped container 20a is dome-shaped,
and the other end thereof (open end) is sealed by the dome-shaped
container 20b, and thereby forming the capsule-shaped
container.
[0078] The capsule-shaped container formed by the cylinder-shaped
container 20a and the dome-shaped container 20b contains, at the
side of the dome-shaped container 20b, an illuminating unit 21
which is realized by a LED and the like, a condensing lens 22, and
an imaging device 23, to capture a subject around the dome-shaped
container 20b. The imaging device 23 performs the capturing in a
front direction of the capsule-shaped container, and thus captures
the in-vivo image of the subject 15 through the dome-shaped
container 20b. The imaging signal which is output from the imaging
device 23 is processed by a signal processing unit 24, and is
wirelessly transmitted from a transmitting unit 26 to the receiving
apparatus 4 described above as the image signal including the
in-vivo image of the subject 15.
[0079] In the capsule-shaped container, an optical switch 27 which
is sensitive to light in a predetermined band of wavelength, e.g.,
infrared light and a battery 25 are arranged on a side of the
cylinder-shaped container 20a. For example, when the optical switch
27 receives infrared light which transmits through a dome-shaped
part of the cylinder-shaped container 20a, the optical switch 27 is
switched to a power-ON state, and then the battery 25 starts to
supply power for each component of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2. Once the optical switch 27 receives the infrared
light, the optical switch 27 maintains the power-ON state. The
optical switch 27 may be switched to a power-OFF state to stop the
power supply when the optical switch 27 receives the infrared light
again.
[0080] In the capsule-shaped container, a magnetic-field generating
unit 29 which generates a guiding magnetic field according to a
magnetic field of the drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a is
arranged on a side of the cylinder-shaped container 20a. The
magnetic-field generating unit 29 is realized, for example, by a
coil which is opened along the longitudinal direction of the
capsule-shaped container. The magnetic-field generating unit 29
generates a guiding magnetic field due to the magnetic field which
is released for detecting the position and the direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the subject 15 from the
drive-magnetic-field generating unit 3a, and outputs the generated
guiding magnetic field to the magnetic field detecting unit 3c
described above.
[0081] In the capsule-shaped container, a magnet 28 is arranged on
a side of the cylinder-shaped container 20a (for example, near a
middle part of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2). As shown in
FIG. 4, magnetic poles of the magnet 28 are arranged to be
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2, and thus arranged along a radial direction of
the capsule-shaped container. When the rotating magnetic field is
applied to the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the magnet 28
rotates like a rotator of a motor according to the rotating
magnetic field. The rotation of the magnet 28 rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around a longitudinal axis or a
radial axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in
three dimensions. Further, when the gradient magnetic field is
applied to the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the magnet 28 is
moved in three dimensions according to the gradient magnetic field.
The movement of the magnet 28 moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in three dimensions within the coordinate space of the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
described above.
[0082] Of the longitudinal direction of the capsule-shaped
container described above, the front direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 configured as above is the
imaging direction of the imaging device 23, and the rear direction
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is the opposite direction
of the imaging direction of the imaging device 23. Thus, when the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 moves forward, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 moves in the imaging direction
of the imaging device 23, and when the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 moves backward, the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
moves in the opposite direction of the imaging direction of the
imaging device 23. The vertical direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 is consistent with the radial direction of the
capsule-shaped container described above, and at the same time, the
vertical direction of the light-receiving surface of the imaging
device 23. The horizontal direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 is consistent with the radial direction of the
capsule-shaped container described above and also with the
horizontal direction of the light-receiving surface of the imaging
device 23.
[0083] A procedure of the control unit 13 for controlling the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 is described below.
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the procedure of the control unit for
controlling the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus. As shown in
FIG. 5, when the control unit 13 controls the magnetic guiding of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6, the control unit 13 adjusts the coordinate
system of the display screen of the displaying apparatus 10 and the
coordinate system of the input operation direction of the operation
unit 8 to be consistent with each other (Step S101).
[0084] At Step S101, the guiding control unit 13b obtains the
detection result of the relative direction of the displaying
apparatus 10 to the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 from the direction detecting unit 11, and
determines the relative coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c to the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 based on the detection result of
the direction detecting unit 11. Specifically, the guiding control
unit 13b determines the relative relation between X-Z coordinate
system of the absolute coordinate system and x-z coordinate system
of the position-direction displaying unit 10a, X-Y coordinate
system of the absolute coordinate system and x-y coordinate system
of the position-direction displaying unit 10b, and Y-Z coordinate
system of the absolute coordinate system and y-z coordinate system
of the position-direction displaying unit 10c. After that, the
guiding control unit 13b obtains the selection information which is
input via the selection button group 8c, selects one of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the image
displaying unit 10d as the operation screen based on the selection
information, and adjusts the coordinate system of the selected
displaying unit (the coordinate system of one of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the image
displaying unit 10d) and the coordinate system of the input
operation direction of the joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with
each other.
[0085] The control unit 13 determines whether there is an
instruction for the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 (Step S102). When there is no instruction for the
magnetic guiding (Step S102, No), the control unit 13 repeats Step
S102. At Step S102, when the guiding control unit 13b obtains the
operation information for the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which is input from the
operation unit 8, the guiding control unit 13b determines that
there is an instruction for the magnetic guiding, whereas, when the
operation information for the magnetic guiding is not obtained, the
guiding control unit 13b determines that there is no instruction
for magnetic guiding.
[0086] When the control unit 13 determines that there is an
instruction for magnetic guiding at Step S102 (Step S102, Yes), the
operation information of the magnetic guiding obtained from the
operation unit 8 is transformed into the coordinate system of the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6, i.e., the absolute coordinate system
described above (Step S103).
[0087] The operation information of the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 includes the coordinate
information which is determined by the input operation direction
(direction of the tilting operation) of the joysticks 8a, 8b, and
the speed information which is determined by the input amount
(tilted amount) of the joysticks 8a, 8b. The coordinate information
corresponding to the input operation direction is coordinate
information of the coordinate system of the displaying unit (i.e.,
the coordinate system of one of the position-direction displaying
units 10a to 10c and the image displaying unit 10d) which was made
consistent with the coordinate system of the input operation
direction at Step S101. The coordinate information corresponding to
the input operation direction specifies the movement direction of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided.
At Step S103, the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c
transforms the coordinate information which specifies the movement
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 into the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The
guiding control unit 13b obtains the operation information
(hereinafter, "transformed operation information") which includes
the coordinate information which was transformed into the absolute
coordinate system and the speed information.
[0088] The control unit 13 controls the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 based on the transformed
operation information which is obtained at Step S103 (Step S104).
At Step S104, the guiding control unit 13b combines the coordinate
information of the joystick 8a and that of the joystick 8b included
in the transformed operation information to determine the
three-dimensional movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6. The guiding control unit 13b determines the
movement speed of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 based on
the speed information included in the transformed operation
information. The guiding control unit 13b moves the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in three dimensions according to the
three-dimensional movement direction and the movement speed
determined as above, by controlling the magnetic guiding apparatus
6 so as to magnetically guide the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2. Through the control of the guiding control unit 13b, the actual
movement direction (direction of the magnetic guiding) of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the absolute coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 is substantially made
consistent with the movement direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 being displayed by the displaying apparatus 10
(specifically, the movement direction or the rotation direction of
the capsule images D1 to D3 displayed in the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c).
[0089] After that, the control unit 13 returns to Step S102, and
repeats Step S102 and subsequent procedures. When the control unit
13 obtains the instruction information for terminating the magnetic
guiding which is input from the operation unit 8 or the input unit
9, the control unit 13 terminates the control of the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which is
performed by Steps S101 to S104 described above. Further, when the
control unit 13 obtains the instruction information for detecting
the relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6 from the input unit 9, the control
unit 13 makes the direction detecting unit 11 detect the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to obtain the detection
result of the direction detecting unit 11, and repeats Step S101
described above based on the obtained detection result.
[0090] A procedure of the control unit 13 for changing the position
information and the like of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
which is displayed on the displaying apparatus 10 according to the
change of body position of the subject 15 is described. FIG. 6 is a
flowchart of the procedure of the control unit for changing the
display information of the displaying apparatus according to the
change of body position of the subject. As shown in FIG. 6, the
control unit 13 makes the displaying apparatus 10 display the
position locus information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 inside the subject 15 (Step S201). The position locus information
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 includes the position
information, the direction information, and the locus information
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the subject 15.
Specifically, the position locus information includes the subject
images K1 to K3, the capsule images D1 to D3, and the locus
information L1 to L3.
[0091] At Step S201, the display control unit 13a obtains the
detection result of the relative direction of the displaying
apparatus 10 to the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 from the direction detecting unit 11. Based on
the obtained detection result of the direction detecting unit 11,
the display control unit 13a determines the directions of the table
images B1 to B3 in each of the coordinate systems of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c. The display control
unit 13a displays the table images B1 to B3 with the determined
directions on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c,
respectively.
[0092] Further, at Step S201, the display control unit 13a obtains
the detection result of the body position of the subject 15 lying
on the patient table 16 from the body position detecting unit 5.
Based on the obtained detection result of the body position, the
display control unit 13a determines the directions and the body
positions of the subject images K1 to K3 in respective coordinate
systems of the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c. The
display control unit 13a displays the subject images K1 to K3 with
the determined directions and the body positions on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively.
[0093] Further, at Step S201, the display control unit 13a obtains
the position information and the direction information of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 from the position-direction
calculating unit 3d. Based on the obtained position information and
the obtained direction information, the display control unit 13a
determines the relative position and the relative direction of the
capsule image D1 to the subject image K1, the relative position and
the relative direction of the capsule image D2 to the subject image
K2, and the relative position and the relative direction of the
capsule image D3 to the subject image K3. The display control unit
13a displays the capsule images D1 to D3 on the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively, in such a manner that
the relative relations (the relative positions and the relative
directions) between the subject images K1 to K3 and the capsule
images D1 to D3 are consistent with the actual relative position
and the actual relative direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 and the subject 15.
[0094] Further, at Step S201, the display control unit 13a displays
the locus information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
which is generated by the locus generating unit 13d described above
on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c from three
different viewpoints. In this case, the display control unit 13a
displays the locus information L1 of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in x-y coordinate system on the position-direction
displaying unit 10a, the locus information L2 of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in x-y coordinate system on the
position-direction displaying unit 10b, and the locus information
L3 of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in y-z coordinate
system on the position-direction displaying unit 10c.
[0095] Then, the control unit 13 obtains the detection result of
the current body position of the subject 15 from the body position
detecting unit 5 (Step S202), and determines whether the body
position of the subject 15 is changed based on the obtained
detection result of the body position (Step S203). At Steps S202
and S203, the display control unit 13a obtains from the body
position detecting unit 5, the current detection result of the body
position of the subject 15 lying on the patient table 16, and
checks the difference between the obtained current detection result
with the last detection result of the body position to determine
whether the body position of the subject 15 is changed.
Specifically, the display control unit 13a calculates the variation
between the current detection result of the body position, i.e.,
positional coordinates of each of detection coils 5a to 5c, and the
last detection result of the body position, i.e., positional
coordinates of each of detection coils 5a to 5c at the time, and
compares the calculated variation of the positional coordinates
with a previously set threshold value. When the variation of the
positional coordinates is equal to or greater than the threshold
value, the display control unit 13a determines that the body
position of the subject 15 is changed. When the variation of the
positional coordinates is smaller than the threshold value, the
display control unit 13a determines that the body position of the
subject 15 is not changed.
[0096] At Step S203, when the control unit 13 determines that the
body position of the subject 15 is not changed (Step S203, No), the
control unit 13 returns to Step S201 described above, and repeats
Step S201 and the subsequent procedures. On the other hand, when
the control unit 13 determines that the body position of the
subject 15 is changed (Step S203, Yes), the control unit 13
performs the coordinate transformation on the position locus
information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 according to
the change of body position of the subject 15 (Step S204), and
displays the position locus information after the coordinate
transformation on the displaying apparatus 10 (Step S205).
[0097] At Steps S204 and S205, the coordinate-transformation
processing unit 13c calculates the variation of the coordinates and
the direction of the coordinates change between the last detection
result and the current detection result of the body position
obtained at Step S203, and performs coordinate transformation on
the position locus information of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 according to the variation of the coordinates and the
direction of the coordinates change calculated above. The display
control unit 13a displays the transformed position locus
information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, i.e., the
transformed subject images K1 to K3, the transformed capsule images
D1 to D3, and the transformed locus information L1 to L3 on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively. As a
result, the subject images K1 to K3, the capsule images D1 to D3,
and the locus information L1 to L3 are shifted or rotated by the
coordinate variation of the coordinate transformation in the
direction of the coordinate change with the relative positions and
the relative directions to each other being fixated. As described,
the display control unit 13a can change the display position and
the display direction of the subject images K1 to K3, the capsule
images D1 to D3, and the locus information L1 to L3 according to
the change of body position of the subject 15.
[0098] After that, the control unit 13 returns to Step S202
described above, and repeats Step S202 and the subsequent
procedures. When the control unit 13 obtains the instruction
information for terminating the displaying process which is input
from the input unit 9, the control unit 13 terminates the control
of displaying the position locus information of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 which is performed by the procedure through
Steps S201 to S205 described above. Further, when the control unit
13 obtains the instruction information for detecting the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 from the input unit 9, the control unit 13 controls the
direction detecting unit 11 to detect the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus 10 and obtains the detection result from the
direction detecting unit 11, and then repeats Step S201 described
above based on the obtained detection result.
[0099] Specific operations of the capsule guiding system is
described below in detail in a case where the position-direction
displaying unit 10a is selected from the display screen of the
displaying apparatus 10 as the operation screen, and then the
joystick 8a is operated with reference to the display information
of the position-direction displaying unit 10a to operate the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 to thereby
magnetically guide the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15. FIG. 7 shows a schematic concrete explanation of
the operations of the capsule guiding system in operating the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the
subject. To make the description concise, FIG. 7 shows only the
position-direction displaying unit 10a which is selected as the
operation screen in the displaying apparatus 10. FIG. 7 shows only
the joystick 8a which is to be operated as the operation unit
8.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 7, when the displaying apparatus 10 is
arranged toward the negative direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system from the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, a viewing
direction from the displaying apparatus 10 toward the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6, i.e., a viewing direction A1 from the
displaying apparatus 10 toward the subject 15 who lies on the
patient table 16 is a viewing direction from the standard viewpoint
(a positive direction of X-axis) described above.
[0101] When the relative direction between the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 and the displaying apparatus 10 is in the above state,
the position-direction displaying unit 10a displays, under the
control of the display control unit 13a, the subject image K1 in
such a manner that the direction of the body of the subject 15
displayed thereon is substantially consistent with the direction of
the body of the subject 15 viewed in the viewing direction A1, and
further displays the capsule image D1 which overlaps the subject
image K1 in such a manner that the relative position and the
relative direction between the subject 15 and the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 being displayed are consistent with the actual
ones. In this case, x-z coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a is consistent with X-Z coordinate system of the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
Specifically, the positive and negative directions of z-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a are consistent with those of
the Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system, and the positive and
negative directions of x-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a are consistent with those of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system.
[0102] The coordinate system of the joystick 8a of the operation
unit 8 (biaxial orthogonal coordinate system formed by a1-axis and
b1-axis) is made consistent with x-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a which is selected as the
operation screen under the control of the guiding control unit 13b
described above. Thus, a1-direction of the joystick 8a (horizontal
input operation direction) is consistent with z-direction of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a (horizontal direction of the
display screen), and the b1-direction of the joystick 8a (vertical
input operation direction) is consistent with x-direction of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a (vertical direction of the
display screen).
[0103] To move the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15 in the positive direction of Z-axis (a direction F1
shown in FIG. 7) of the absolute coordinate system through the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, a user (operator)
such as a doctor and a nurse performs a tilting operation which
tilts the joystick 8a in the input operation direction which is
consistent with the positive direction of z-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a which is selected as the
operation screen, i.e., in the positive direction of a1-axis. In
this case, the joystick 8a inputs the operation information
corresponding to the positive direction of a1-axis, which is the
tilted direction (in detail, the operation information including
coordinate information which specifies the movement direction of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 as the positive direction of
z-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a), to the
control unit 13 described above.
[0104] In the control unit 13 which has obtained the operation
information, the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c
transforms the coordinate information included in the operation
information, i.e., the coordinate information which specifies the
movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 as the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a, into the coordinate information in the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Thus, the
coordinate information which specifies the movement direction as
the positive direction of z-axis is transformed into the coordinate
information which specifies the movement direction as the positive
direction of Z-axis (the direction F1 shown in FIG. 7) in the
absolute coordinate system. The guiding control unit 13b controls
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 based on the operation information
including the transformed coordinate information, and thus
magnetically guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15 in the direction F1.
[0105] In the above state of the magnetic guiding, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 is moved
in the direction F1 according to the magnetic field of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6, and the position-direction displaying unit 10a
changes the relative relation between the subject image K1 and the
capsule image D1 according to the movement of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in the direction F1. Specifically, the
position-direction displaying unit 10a moves the capsule image D1
in the positive direction of z-axis (i.e., the direction F1 shown
in FIG. 7) relatively to the subject image K1. As described above,
the capsule guiding system 1 according to the embodiment of the
present invention adjusts the coordinate system of the display
screen (operation screen) of the displaying apparatus 10 and the
coordinate system of the input operation direction of the operation
unit 8 to be consistent with each other, and magnetically guides
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the movement direction
corresponding to the input operation direction of the operation
unit 8.
[0106] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, when the displaying
apparatus 10 is arranged obliquely to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 (e.g., in an oblique direction from Z-axis of the
absolute coordinate system), a viewing direction from the
displaying apparatus 10 toward the magnetic guiding apparatus 6,
i.e., a viewing direction A10 in which the displaying apparatus 10
views the subject 15 who lies on the patient table 16 is oblique to
and makes an acute angle with the positive direction of X-axis or
the negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate
system.
[0107] In the above state of the relative direction between the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6 and the displaying apparatus 10, the
position-direction displaying unit 10a displays, under the control
of the display control unit 13a described above, the subject image
K1 in a manner such that the direction of the body of the subject
15 viewed in the viewing direction A10 is substantially consistent
with the displayed direction of the body of the subject 15, and
displays the capsule image D1 as an overlapped image on the subject
image K1 in a manner such that the relative position and the
relative direction between the subject 15 and the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 being displayed are consistent with the actual
ones. In this case, the viewing direction A10 from the displaying
apparatus 10 makes a predetermined angle (hereinafter, "viewpoint
angle") with the viewing direction of the standard viewpoint
described above (i.e., the viewing direction A1 shown in FIG. 7),
and the x-z coordinate system of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a is consistent with a coordinate system which is rotated
around Y-axis by the viewpoint angle from X-Z coordinate system of
the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6.
Specifically, the positive and negative directions of z-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a are consistent with an axis
which is rotated around Y-axis by the viewpoint angle from the
positive and negative directions of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system, and the positive and negative directions of
x-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a are consistent
with an axis which is rotated around Y-axis by the viewpoint angle
from the positive and negative directions of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system.
[0108] Similarly to the above description of the viewing direction
of the standard viewpoint (i.e., viewing direction A1), the
coordinate system of the joystick 8a of the operation unit 8 is
consistent with x-y coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a which is selected as the operation screen.
Specifically, a1-direction of the joystick 8a (horizontal input
operation direction) is consistent with z-direction of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a (horizontal direction on the
display screen), and b1-direction of the joystick 8a (vertical
input operation direction) is consistent with x-direction of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a (vertical direction on the
display screen).
[0109] To move the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15 in a direction F2 of the absolute coordinate system
through the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 performed by the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, the user
(operator) such as a doctor and a nurse performs the tilting
operation which tilts the joystick 8a in the input operation
direction which is consistent with the positive direction of z-axis
(i.e., the direction F2 shown in FIG. 7) of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a which is selected as the operation screen,
i.e., in the positive direction of a1-axis. In this case, the
joystick 8a inputs the operation information corresponding to the
positive direction of a1-axis, which is the tilted direction, (in
detail, the operation information including coordinate information
which specifies the movement direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 as the positive direction of z-axis of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a) to the control unit 13
described above.
[0110] In the control unit 13 which has obtained the operation
information, the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c
transforms the coordinate information included in the operation
information, i.e., the coordinate information which specifies the
movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 as the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a, into the coordinate information in the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. Thus, the
coordinate information which specifies the movement direction as
the positive direction of z-axis is transformed into the coordinate
information which specifies the movement direction as the direction
F2 of the absolute coordinate system. The guiding control unit 13b
controls the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 based on the operation
information including the transformed coordinate information, and
thus magnetically guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
inside the subject 15 in the direction F2.
[0111] In the above state of the magnetic guiding, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 is moved
in the direction F2 according to the magnetic field of the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6, and the position-direction displaying unit 10a
changes the relative relation between the subject image K1 and the
capsule image D1 according to the movement of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 in the direction F2. Specifically, the
position-direction displaying unit 10a moves the capsule image D1
in the positive direction of z-axis (i.e., the direction F2 shown
in FIG. 7) relatively to the subject image K1.
[0112] As described above, even when the viewing direction from the
displaying apparatus 10 toward the subject 15 lying on the patient
table 16 differs from the viewing direction from the standard
viewpoint, the capsule guiding system 1 according to the embodiment
of the present invention adjusts the coordinate system of the
display screen (operation screen) of the displaying apparatus 10
and the coordinate system of the input operation direction of the
operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other, and magnetically
guides the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the movement
direction corresponding to the input operation direction of the
operation unit 8. In this case, the guiding control unit 13b
changes the relative relation between the input operation direction
of the operation unit 8 and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the absolute coordinate
system according to the relative change of the viewing direction of
the displaying apparatus 10 to the viewing direction of the
standard viewpoint above, in other words, change in relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6.
[0113] Further, in the capsule guiding system 1 according to the
embodiment of the present invention, when the position-direction
displaying unit 10b or the position-direction displaying unit 10c
is selected from the display screen of the displaying apparatus 10
as the operation screen, the coordinate system of the display
screen (operation screen) of the displaying apparatus 10 is made
consistent with the coordinate system of the input operation
direction of the operation unit 8, and the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 is magnetically guided in the movement direction
corresponding to the input operation direction of the operation
unit 8, similarly to the description of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a.
[0114] The following describes the correspondence relation between
the input operation direction of the operation unit 8 and the
movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being
magnetically guided. The correspondence relation changes according
to the change of the relative direction of the displaying apparatus
10 to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The following describes a
case where a movement operation (moving forward, moving backward,
and the like) of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is
performed through the input operation of the joystick 8a of the
operation unit 8, and a rotation operation (rotating and the like)
of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is performed through the
input operation of the joystick 8b. FIG. 8 is a schematic
illustration of the correspondence relation between a coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus and the coordinate system
of the display screen of the displaying apparatus. The
correspondence relation changes when the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus to the magnetic guiding apparatus is changed.
FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a correspondence relation
between the input operation direction of the operation unit and the
movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus. The
correspondence relation changes when the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus to the magnetic guiding apparatus is changed.
For the convenience of description, FIG. 8 shows only the capsule
images D1 to D3 as the display information of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c, and does not show
the image displaying unit 10d.
[0115] When the displaying apparatus 10 is arranged toward the
negative direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system from
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and thus the viewing direction
from the displaying apparatus 10 to the subject 15 lying on the
patient table 16 is the viewing direction from the standard
viewpoint (the viewing direction A1 shown in FIG. 7), the
displaying apparatus 10 displays the capsule images D1 to D3 on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively, in a
manner such that the displaying apparatus 10 displays the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three
different viewpoints based on the viewing direction A1 as shown in
a display pattern G1 in FIG. 8. In the display pattern G1, the
positive direction of x-axis of x-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10a is consistent with the
positive direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
z-axis of x-z coordinate system thereof is consistent with the
positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The positive direction of x-axis
of x-y coordinate system of the position-direction displaying unit
10b is consistent with the positive direction of X-axis of the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and
the positive direction of y-axis of x-y coordinate system is
consistent with the positive direction of Y-axis of the absolute
coordinate system. The positive direction of y-axis of y-z
coordinate system of the position-direction displaying unit 10c is
consistent with the positive direction of Y-axis of the absolute
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the
positive direction of z-axis of y-z coordinate system is consistent
with the positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate
system.
[0116] When the position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected
as the operation screen of the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the guiding control unit 13b
adjusts x-z coordinate system of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the coordinate systems of joysticks 8a, 8b of
the operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other.
Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b adjusts the positive
direction of x-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a
and each of the positive directions of b1-axis and b2-axis of the
joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other, and adjusts the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the positive directions of a1-axis and a2-axis
of the joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other. In this
case, the guiding control unit 13b determines the correspondence
relation between the input operation direction of the joysticks 8a,
8b of the operation unit 8 and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided as
shown in an operation pattern H1 in FIG. 9.
[0117] Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the positive direction of
X-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of b1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the negative direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
b1-axis. On the other hand, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the positive direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of a1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
a1-axis.
[0118] Further, the guiding control unit 13b rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the positive direction of X-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the positive direction of b2-axis, and rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the negative direction of X-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the negative direction of b2-axis. On the other hand, the
guiding control unit 13b rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
positive direction of Z-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the positive
direction of a2-axis, and rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
negative direction of Z-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the negative
direction of a2-axis.
[0119] On the other hand, when the displaying apparatus 10 is
arranged toward the positive direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system from the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and thus
the viewing direction from the displaying apparatus 10 to the
subject 15 lying on the patient table 16 is the negative direction
of X-axis (viewing direction A2), the displaying apparatus 10
displays the capsule images D1 to D3 on the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively, in a manner such that
the displaying apparatus 10 displays the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three different viewpoints
based on the viewing direction A2 as shown in a display pattern G2
in FIG. 8. In the display pattern G2, the positive direction of
x-axis of x-z coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a is consistent with the negative direction of
X-axis of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6, and the positive direction of z-axis of x-z coordinate
system thereof is consistent with the negative direction of Z-axis
of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus
6. The positive direction of x-axis of x-y coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b is consistent with the
negative direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
y-axis of x-y coordinate system is consistent with the positive
direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system. The positive
direction of y-axis of y-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10c is consistent with the
positive direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
z-axis of y-z coordinate system is consistent with the negative
direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system.
[0120] When the position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected
as the operation screen of the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the guiding control unit 13b
adjusts x-z coordinate system of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the coordinate systems of joysticks 8a, 8b of
the operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other.
Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b adjusts the positive
direction of x-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a
and each of the positive directions of b1-axis and b2-axis of the
joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other, and adjusts the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the positive directions of a1-axis and a2-axis
of the joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other. In this
case, the guiding control unit 13b determines the correspondence
relation between the input operation direction of the joysticks 8a,
8b of the operation unit 8 and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided as
shown in an operation pattern H2 in FIG. 9.
[0121] Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the negative direction of
X-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of b1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the positive direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
b1-axis. On the other hand, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the negative direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of a1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
a1-axis.
[0122] Further, the guiding control unit 13b rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the negative direction of X-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the positive direction of b2-axis, and rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the positive direction of X-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the negative direction of b2-axis. On the other hand, the
guiding control unit 13b rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
negative direction of Z-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the positive
direction of a2-axis, and rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
positive direction of Z-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the negative
direction of a2-axis.
[0123] On the other hand, when the displaying apparatus 10 is
arranged toward the negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system from the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and thus
the viewing direction from the displaying apparatus 10 to the
subject 15 lying on the patient table 16 is the positive direction
of Z-axis (viewing direction A3), the displaying apparatus 10
displays the capsule images D1 to D3 on the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively, in a manner such that
the displaying apparatus 10 displays the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three different viewpoints
based on the viewing direction A3 as shown in a display pattern G3
in FIG. 8. In the display pattern G3, the positive direction of
x-axis of x-z coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a is consistent with the positive direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6, and the positive direction of z-axis of x-z coordinate
system thereof is consistent with the negative direction of X-axis
of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus
6. The positive direction of x-axis of x-y coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b is consistent with the
positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
y-axis of x-y coordinate system is consistent with the positive
direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system. The positive
direction of y-axis of y-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10c is consistent with the
positive direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
z-axis of y-z coordinate system is consistent with the negative
direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system.
[0124] When the position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected
as the operation screen of the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the guiding control unit 13b
adjusts x-z coordinate system of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the coordinate systems of the joysticks 8a, 8b
of the operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other.
Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b adjusts the positive
direction of x-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a
and each of the positive directions of b1-axis and b2-axis of the
joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other, and adjusts the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the positive directions of a1-axis and a2-axis
of the joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other. In this
case, the guiding control unit 13b determines the correspondence
relation between the input operation direction of the joysticks 8a,
8b of the operation unit 8 and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided as
shown in an operation pattern H3 in FIG. 9.
[0125] Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the positive direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of b1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
b1-axis. On the other hand, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the negative direction of
X-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of a1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the positive direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
a1-axis.
[0126] Further, the guiding control unit 13b rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the positive direction of Z-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the positive direction of b2-axis, and rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the negative direction of Z-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the negative direction of b2-axis. On the other hand, the
guiding control unit 13b rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
negative direction of X-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the positive
direction of a2-axis, and rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
positive direction of X-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the negative
direction of a2-axis.
[0127] On the other hand, when the displaying apparatus 10 is
arranged toward the positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system from the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and thus
the viewing direction from the displaying apparatus 10 to the
subject 15 lying on the patient table 16 is the negative direction
of Z-axis (viewing direction A4), the displaying apparatus 10
displays the capsule images D1 to D3 on the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively, in a manner such that
the displaying apparatus 10 displays the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three different viewpoints
based on the viewing direction A4 as shown in a display pattern G4
in FIG. 8. In the display pattern G4, the positive direction of
x-axis of x-z coordinate system of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a is consistent with the negative direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6, and the positive direction of z-axis of x-z coordinate
system thereof is consistent with the positive direction of X-axis
of the absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus
6. The positive direction of x-axis of x-y coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10b is consistent with the
negative direction of Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
y-axis of x-y coordinate system is consistent with the positive
direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system. The positive
direction of y-axis of y-z coordinate system of the
position-direction displaying unit 10c is consistent with the
positive direction of Y-axis of the absolute coordinate system of
the magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the positive direction of
z-axis of y-z coordinate system is consistent with the positive
direction of X-axis of the absolute coordinate system.
[0128] When the position-direction displaying unit 10a is selected
as the operation screen of the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2, the guiding control unit 13b
adjusts x-z coordinate system of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the coordinate systems of the joysticks 8a, 8b
of the operation unit 8 to be consistent with each other.
Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b adjusts the positive
direction of x-axis of the position-direction displaying unit 10a
and each of the positive directions of b1-axis and b2-axis of the
joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other, and adjusts the
positive direction of z-axis of the position-direction displaying
unit 10a and each of the positive directions of a1-axis and a2-axis
of the joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other. In this
case, the guiding control unit 13b determines the correspondence
relation between the input operation direction of the joysticks 8a,
8b of the operation unit 8 and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided as
shown in an operation pattern H4 in FIG. 9.
[0129] Specifically, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the negative direction of
Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of b1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the positive direction of Z-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
b1-axis. On the other hand, the guiding control unit 13b moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the positive direction of
X-axis of the absolute coordinate system based on the operation
information which is input when the joystick 8a is tilted in the
positive direction of a1-axis, and moves the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 in the negative direction of X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system based on the operation information which is input
when the joystick 8a is tilted in the negative direction of
a1-axis.
[0130] Further, the guiding control unit 13b rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the negative direction of Z-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the positive direction of b2-axis, and rotates the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 around X-axis of the absolute
coordinate system (i.e., in the direction from the positive
direction of Y-axis to the positive direction of Z-axis) based on
the operation information which is input when the joystick 8b is
tilted in the negative direction of b2-axis. On the other hand, the
guiding control unit 13b rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
positive direction of X-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the positive
direction of a2-axis, and rotates the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 around Z-axis of the absolute coordinate system (i.e.,
in the direction from the positive direction of Y-axis to the
negative direction of X-axis) based on the operation information
which is input when the joystick 8b is tilted in the negative
direction of a2-axis.
[0131] The capsule guiding system 1 according to the embodiment of
the present invention selects arbitrarily the operation screen for
the magnetic guiding from the display screen of the displaying
apparatus 10 (i.e., the position-direction displaying units 10a to
10c, and the image displaying unit 10d). The capsule guiding system
1 adjusts the coordinate system of the displaying unit (one of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the image
displaying unit 10d) which is selected as the operation screen and
the coordinate system of the input operation direction of the
joysticks 8a, 8b to be consistent with each other, and determines
the correspondence relation between the input operation direction
of the joysticks 8a, 8b and the movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 being magnetically guided,
similarly to the above description of the position-direction
displaying unit 10a. Thus, the capsule guiding system 1 can make
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 perform the
three-dimensional operations (movement and rotation) in the
absolute coordinate system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6 to
thereby magnetically guide the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2.
[0132] The following describes the way the display information of
the displaying apparatus 10 is changed according to change of the
body position of the subject 15 in a case where the subject 15
containing the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside his body
changes his body position from a supine position into a right
lateral position on the patient table 16. FIG. 10 shows a schematic
concrete explanation of the change of the displaying information of
the displaying apparatus according to change in the body position
of the subject.
[0133] When a viewing direction from the displaying apparatus 10
toward the subject 15 lying on the patient table 16 is the viewing
direction from the standard viewpoint described above (see the
viewing direction A1 shown in FIG. 7), the displaying apparatus 10
displays the position locus information of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 from three viewpoints
based on the standard viewpoint as shown in a display pattern G10
of FIG. 10. The position-direction displaying unit 10a displays as
an overlapped image the subject image K1 in which the subject 15
lying on the patient table 16 in the supine position is viewed from
Y-direction of the absolute coordinate system, the capsule image D1
and the locus information L1 in which the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 is viewed from Y-direction, and the table image B1 in
which the patient table 16 is viewed from Y-direction. The
position-direction displaying unit 10b displays as the overlapped
image the subject image K2 in which the subject 15 in the supine
position is viewed from Z-direction of the absolute coordinate
system, the capsule image D2 and the locus information L2 in which
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is viewed from Z-direction,
and the table image B2 in which the patient table 16 is viewed from
Z-direction. The position-direction displaying unit 10c displays as
the overlapped image the subject image K3 in which the subject 15
in the supine position is viewed from X-direction of the absolute
coordinate system, the capsule image D3 and the locus information
L3 in which the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is viewed from
X-direction, and the table image B3 in which the patient table 16
is viewed from X-direction.
[0134] The image displaying unit 10d displays the in-vivo image P
of the subject 15 which is captured by the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 regardless of the body position of the subject 15 and
the viewing direction of the displaying apparatus 10. In this case,
the image displaying unit 10d displays the in-vivo image P
sequentially in a manner such that the vertical and horizontal
directions of the display screen of the displaying apparatus 10 are
consistent with those of the in-vivo image P.
[0135] When the subject 15 lying on the patient table 16 changes
his body position from the supine position into the right lateral
position as shown in FIG. 10, the display control unit 13a
transforms the display information of the position-direction
displaying units 10a to 10c based on the detection result of the
body position from the body position detecting unit 5 as described
above. Specifically, the coordinate-transformation processing unit
13c calculates the coordinate variation and the direction of the
coordinate variation in the detection result of the body position
of the subject 15 whose body position changes from the supine
position into the right lateral position, and performs the
coordinate transformation process on each coordinate information of
the subject images K1 to K3, the capsule images D1 to D3, and the
locus information L1 to L3 based on the coordinate variation and
the direction of the coordinate variation calculated. The display
control unit 13a displays the subject images K1 to K3, the capsule
images D1 to D3, and the locus information L1 to L3 whose
coordinate information is transformed through the coordinate
transformation of the coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c
on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c,
respectively.
[0136] As shown in FIG. 10, the displaying apparatus 10 performs
movement, rotation, and the like on the subject images K1 to K3,
the capsule images D1 to D3, and the locus information L1 to L3
according to the change of the body position of the subject 15
under the control of the display control unit 13a. Specifically, as
shown in a display pattern G11 in FIG. 10, the position-direction
displaying unit 10a maintains the relative position and the
relative direction of the subject image K1, the capsule image D1,
and the locus information L1, and moves or rotates the subject
image K1, the capsule image D1, and the locus information L1
according to the change of body position of the subject 15. The
position-direction displaying unit 10b maintains the relative
position and the relative direction of the subject image K2, the
capsule image D2, and the locus information L2, and moves or
rotates the subject image K2, the capsule image D2, and the locus
information L2 according to the change of body position of the
subject 15. The position-direction displaying unit 10c maintains
the relative position and the relative direction of the subject
image K3, the capsule image D3, and the locus information L3, and
moves or rotates the subject image K3, the capsule image D3, and
the locus information L3 according to the change of body position
of the subject 15.
[0137] The displaying apparatus 10 changes the subject images K1 to
K3, the capsule images D1 to D3, and the locus information L1 to L3
according to the change of body position of the subject 15, whereby
the actual body direction of the subject 15 viewed in a viewing
direction from the displaying apparatus 10 can be made consistent
with the body direction of the subject 15 being displayed (i.e.,
the subject image) even if the subject 15 changes his body
position. As a result, the user no longer feels a sense of
discomfort in operating the magnetic guiding when the actual body
direction of the subject 15 is inconsistent with the body direction
of the subject 15 being displayed, and thus can operate the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside
the subject 15 (i.e., the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which
is difficult to be seen directly) intuitively and easily.
[0138] As described above, in the embodiment of the present
invention, the subject image which shows the body direction of the
subject and the capsule image which shows the position and the
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the
subject are displayed as the overlapped image on the displaying
apparatus. When the magnetic guiding unit which magnetically guides
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject is
operated, the coordinate system of the input operation direction of
the operation unit which operates the magnetic guiding unit is made
consistent with the coordinate system of the display screen of the
displaying apparatus, and the coordinate information of the
movement direction corresponding to the input operation direction
which is input from the operation unit is transformed into the
coordinate system of the magnetic guiding unit. Then the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject is magnetically
guided in the direction which is specified by the transformed
coordinate information. Thus, in the display screen of the
displaying apparatus, the movement direction (the movement
direction or the rotation direction) of the capsule image which is
moved or rotated according to the magnetic guiding of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus can be made consistent with the
input operation direction of the operation unit. As a result, even
if the movement direction of the capsule image is different from
the input operation direction of the operation unit, the user no
longer feels the sense of discomfort during such operation. Thus,
the capsule guiding system in which the user can avoid the sense of
discomfort during the operation, and can operate the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject
(i.e., the capsule-shaped medical apparatus difficult to be seen
directly) intuitively and easily can be realized.
[0139] Further, the correspondence relation between the movement
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus being
magnetically guided and the input operation direction of the
operation unit is determined based on the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus to the magnetic guiding unit. Regardless of
the relative position and direction of the displaying apparatus to
the magnetic guiding unit, the movement direction of the capsule
image being displayed on the displaying apparatus can be made
consistent with the input operation direction of the operation
unit. Thus, the sense of discomfort during the operation can be
eliminated without exception, regardless of the relative direction
of the displaying apparatus to the magnetic guiding unit.
[0140] Further, the relative direction of the displaying apparatus
to the magnetic guiding unit is detected by the direction detecting
unit, to change, according to the change of the detected relative
direction of the displaying apparatus, the display information (the
position locus information of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus)
of the displaying apparatus, and also the correspondence relation
between the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus being magnetically guided and the input operation
direction of the operation unit. Thus, even if the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus to the magnetic guiding unit
is changed, the movement direction of the capsule image being
displayed on the displaying apparatus can be made consistent with
the input operation direction of the operation unit. As a result,
the displaying apparatus can be arranged in any relative direction
from the magnetic guiding unit without causing the sense of
discomfort.
[0141] The body position of the subject is detected by the body
position detecting unit to change, according to the detected change
of the body position of the subject, the position and the direction
of the subject image and the capsule image being displayed on the
displaying apparatus, and further the correspondence relation
between the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus being magnetically guided and the input operation
direction of the operation unit. Thus, even if the subject
containing the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside his body
changes his body position during the examination, the movement
direction of the capsule image being displayed on the displaying
apparatus can be made consistent with the input operation direction
of the operation unit. As a result, the sense of discomfort can be
eliminated without exception regardless of the body position of the
subject.
[0142] The locus information which indicates the locus of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside the subject is displayed on
the displaying apparatus. The position and the direction of the
locus information as well as the subject image and the capsule
image are changed according to the change of body position of the
subject. Thus, even if the subject being examined changes his body
position, the locus of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus inside
the subject can be displayed correctly. As a result, the magnetic
guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus can be easily
supported.
[0143] In the embodiment of the present invention, the subject 15
containing the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside his body
changes the body position. Not limited to this, the body position
of the subject 15 may be maintained being unchanged. In this case,
the capsule guiding system 1 may not include the body position
detecting unit 5 and the detection coils 5a to 5c.
[0144] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 is changed. Not limited to this, the relative
direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 (i.e., the direction to which the displaying apparatus
10 is arranged relatively from the magnetic guiding apparatus 6)
may be maintained in a desired direction. In this case, the capsule
guiding system 1 may not include the direction detecting unit 11
which detects the relative direction of the displaying apparatus
10.
[0145] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
relative direction of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic
guiding apparatus 6 is detected by the direction detecting unit 11.
Not limited to this, information indicating the relative direction
of the displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6
may be input to the control unit 13 via the input unit 9. In this
case, based on the input information of the input unit 9 (the
information which indicates the relative direction of the
displaying apparatus 10 to the magnetic guiding apparatus 6), the
guiding control unit 13b can determine the correspondence relation
between the coordinate system of the display screen of the
displaying apparatus 10 and the absolute coordinate system of the
magnetic guiding apparatus 6, and the correspondence relation
between the input operation direction of the operation unit 8 and
the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
being magnetically guided.
[0146] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, only
one of the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the
image displaying unit 10d is selected as the operation screen, and
the coordinate system of the selected operation screen is made
consistent with the coordinate system of each input operation
direction of the joysticks 8a, 8b. Not limited to this, two of the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c and the image
displaying unit 10d may be selected as the operation screens, and
the coordinate systems of the two selected operation screens (any
two screens of the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c
and the image displaying unit 10d) may be made consistent with the
coordinate system of the input operation directions of the
joysticks 8a, 8b, respectively. In this case, the joystick 8a
inputs the operation information for the magnetic guiding
corresponding to the input operation direction which is consistent
with the coordinate system of a first operation screen of the two
operation screens, and the joystick 8b inputs the operation
information for the magnetic guiding corresponding to the input
operation direction which is consistent with the coordinate system
of a second operation screen of the two operation screens. The
coordinate-transformation processing unit 13c transforms each of
the coordinate information (the coordinate information which
specifies the movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2) included in the two of the operation information which
are input from the joysticks 8a, 8b into the absolute coordinate
system of the magnetic guiding apparatus 6. The guiding control
unit 13b combines the two of the transformed coordinate information
to determine the three-dimensional movement direction of the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the absolute coordinate
system, and controls the magnetic guiding which moves the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 in the determined
three-dimensional movement direction.
[0147] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
horizontal directions of the in-vivo image P being displayed on the
image displaying unit 10d are made consistent with the horizontal
directions of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. Not limited
to this, the horizontal direction of the in-vivo image P being
displayed on the image displaying unit 10d may be made consistent
with the horizontal direction of the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 when the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 moves
forward, whereas the horizontal direction of the in-vivo image P
being displayed on the image displaying unit 10d may be inverted to
be opposite to the horizontal direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 when the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2
moves backward. In this case, when the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 is rotated (especially, turned), the direction of
change of the in-vivo image P being displaying on the image
displaying unit 10d can be made consistent with the rotation
direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2. As a result,
inconsistency between the direction of change of the in-vivo image
P and the input operation direction of the operation unit 8 can be
avoided, whereby the sense of discomfort, which may arise during
the operation when the image displaying unit 10d is selected as the
operation screen, can be eliminated.
[0148] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
body position of the subject 15 is detected based on the detection
of magnetic field. Not limited to this, an imaging device which
captures the image of an appearance of the subject 15 at least from
two directions may be arranged inside the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6 instead of the detection coils 5a to 5c. The body
position detecting unit 6 may detect the body position of the
subject 15 based on the image of the appearance of the subject 15
captured from two directions by the imaging device.
[0149] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
subject images K1 to K3 which schematically shows the outer shape
(body shape) of the subject 15 are displayed on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c, respectively. Not
limited to this, the subject images displayed on the
position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c may be images which
schematically show digestive tracts inside the subject 15 through
which the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 moves, or a
combination of a schematic image of the outer shape of the subject
15 and a schematic image of the digestive tracts.
[0150] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
subject images K1 to K3 and the capsule images D1 to D3 are moved
or rotated according to the magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2. Not limited to this, the longitudinal
direction of the capsule images D1 to D3 may be maintained relative
to a predetermined direction (e.g., vertical direction, horizontal
direction, or the like of the display screen) of the display screen
of the displaying apparatus 10, and the relative position and the
relative direction of the subject images K1 to K3 may be changed
relatively to the capsule images D1 to D3. Alternatively, the body
direction (longitudinal direction) of the subject images K1 to K3
may be maintained relative to the predetermined direction of the
display screen of the displaying apparatus 10, and the relative
position and the relative direction of the capsule images D1 to D3
may be changed relative to the subject images K1 to K3.
[0151] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
subject images K1 to K3 and the capsule images D1 to D3 are
displayed on the position-direction displaying units 10a to 10c,
respectively in a manner such that the subject 15 and the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 are
displayed on the displaying apparatus from three different
viewpoints. Not limited to this, three-dimensional images of the
subject 15 and the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the
subject 15 which are viewed from a viewpoint at the side of the
displaying apparatus 10 may be displayed on the displaying
apparatus 10 as an overlapped image.
[0152] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 which captures the in-vivo image
of the subject 15 is described. Not limited to this, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus of the capsule guiding system
according to the present invention may be a capsule-shaped pH
measuring apparatus which measures a pH value (an example of
in-vivo information) inside the subject, a capsule-shaped drug
introducing apparatus which spreads or injects drug inside the
subject, or a capsule-shaped extracting apparatus which extracts a
substance (an example of in-vivo information) inside the subject,
as long as these apparatuses can be magnetically guided.
[0153] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is
operated through the input operation of the two joysticks 8a, 8b.
Not limited to this, two cross-shaped input buttons may be provided
in the operation unit 8 instead of the joysticks 8a, 8b, and the
magnetic guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 may be
operated through input operation of the two input buttons.
[0154] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is moved by attractive force and
repulsive force of the magnetic field of the magnetic guiding
apparatus 6. Not limited to this, spiral projection which forms
spiral structure around the longitudinal axis of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 may be formed on an outer wall surface of the
cylinder-shaped container 20a, and the capsule-shaped medical
apparatus 2 may be rotated around the longitudinal axis by the
rotating magnetic field to be moved forward or backward.
[0155] Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the
position and the direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus
2 inside the subject 15 are detected based on the detection result
of the guiding magnetic field released from the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2. Not limited to this, sound waves (preferably,
ultrasonic waves) may be transmitted to and received from the
capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15. In this
case, an echo signal from the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 is
detected, and the position and the direction of the capsule-shaped
medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 are detected based on the
detected echo signal. Further, the position and the direction of
the capsule-shaped medical apparatus 2 inside the subject 15 may be
detected using X-ray image data of the inside of the subject
15.
[0156] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *