Olympus Corporation

Teppei Tsuruta

Kenichi Nishina

Satoshi Yoshida

Katsuhiro Wakabayashi

Takanao Fujimura

Yoshiyuki Okuno

Tomoyuki Hatakeyama

An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound imaging device configured to transmit and receive a signal based on transmission and reception of an ultrasound wave. The ultrasound imaging device includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: generate a plurality of pieces of data of ultrasound images of an inside of a subject based on the signal, the ultrasound images being spatially separated from one another; invert a magnitude relationship of a luminance value of each of pixels in each of the ultrasound images; automatically set a first boundary across which the luminance value changes by a predetermined amount based on data of one of the ultrasound images; and automatically detect a second boundary in each of the ultrasound images based on the set first boundary.

Ultrasound imaging system, operation method of ultrasound imaging system, and computer-readable recording medium

An ultrasound endoscope includes: a first rigid portion that is positioned at a front end of an insertion portion to be inserted inside a subject; a supporting portion that is connected to a proximal end of the first rigid portion and that has a long side along a longitudinal direction of the insertion portion; a second rigid portion that is connected to a proximal end of the supporting portion; an ultrasound transducer that is fixed to the supporting portion and that includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged therein along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion; a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the supporting portion and the ultrasound transducer in an integrated manner; and an angle display portion configured to indicate a state of the insertion portion corresponding to a rotation amount of the ultrasound transducer.

Ultrasound endoscope and endoscope system

An ultrasound endoscope includes: an ultrasound transducer; a balloon groove in which a balloon band is fitted; a contact portion that constitutes a bottom surface of the balloon groove; a first wall portion that constitutes a proximal end side of the balloon groove and in which a first distance that is a distance from a center of a cross section orthogonal to an extension direction of the insertion portion to an outer circumference of the first wall portion is larger than a second distance that is a distance from the center of the cross section to the bottom surface; and a second wall portion that constitutes a distal end side of the balloon groove, in which a distance from the center of the cross section to an outer circumference of the second wall portion is larger than the second distance, and that includes a notch portion.

Ultrasound endoscope with ultrasound transducer and balloon including a notch provided on outer circumference of distal wall

An endoscope includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; an image sensor provided at a distal end of the insertion portion and configured to acquire an image of the subject; a signal cable connected to the image sensor at one end of the signal cable, the signal cable including a signal line group formed of a plurality of signal lines configured to transmit signals acquired by the image sensor; a tube provided at a part of the signal cable, the tube covering the signal cable and having insulation properties; and a filling member configured to fill a vacant space formed between the signal cable and the tube and at least a part of which is made of a material with low melting point.

Endoscope

A method of manufacturing an endoscope includes: dividing some of signal lines into bundle portions; notching a part of a tube to form one or a plurality of notch portions; cutting at least one end portion of the tube in a state where the tube is folded with each notch portion to produce a first heat-shrinkable tube having cylindrical portions with aligned end portions in longitudinal directions of the cylindrical portions; inserting the divided bundle portions into the cylindrical portions of the first heat-shrinkable tube, respectively; inserting the signal lines into a second heat-shrinkable tube; heating at least an overlapping portion in a state where the first and second heat-shrinkable tubes partially overlap each other to cause heat shrinkage; inserting the signal cable and the channel into a tubular portion; and connecting the tubular portion to a distal end constituting portion to form the insertion portion.

Method of manufacturing endoscope and endoscope

An ultrasound endoscope includes: an ultrasound probe arranged in a distal end rigid portion; a suction and forceps port provided in a vicinity of the ultrasound probe; a treatment instrument insertion channel and a negative pressure channel communicating with the suction and forceps port; and a control valve configured to variably regulate a negative pressure for suction that is transmitted to the suction and forceps port through the treatment instrument insertion channel and the negative pressure channel to two or more states.

Ultrasound endoscope, suction apparatus for ultrasound endoscope, and ultrasound endoscope system

An ultrasound endoscope, having a cable for connecting the ultrasound endoscope to a driving apparatus, includes an insertion section insertable into a subject, a plurality of transducers provided at a distal end portion, an electrode formed in each of the transducers, a wiring section connected to the electrode to electrically connect the electrode and the cable, and matching circuits, at least one of which is provided at an end of or partway in each of the wiring section. The electrode, the wiring section, and the matching circuits are provided in each of the plurality of transducers. The cable includes a core wire and an insulating layer enwrapping the core wire and functions as a matching section that matches electric impedance of each of the transducers between the plurality of transducers and the driving apparatus by varying a thickness or quality of material of the insulating layer.

Growing community of inventors

Hino, Japan

Teppei Tsuruta