JP3038060B2 - Biological tissue hardness measuring device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a living tissue hardness measuring device for measuring the hardness of a living tissue to diagnose a lesion site.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the diagnosis of gastric skills, etc., the hardness of a living tissue is measured by utilizing the difference in hardness between a tumor such as cancer and a normal tissue, and the hardness is measured. Discrimination between normal tissues and tumors such as cancer has been performed.

[0003] The hardness of a living tissue can be known by, for example, bringing a vibrating part as a vibration means of a hardness measuring device into contact with the living tissue and vibrating the living tissue, and measuring the amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration wave. Can do it (50-18
372, etc.).

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional hardness measuring device, the vibrating portion as the vibrating means is merely applied to the living tissue, and therefore, the vibrating portion is applied to the living tissue. It simply vibrated extensively around the site where it was taken. Therefore, the region where the living tissue is vibrated varies depending on how the vibrating part is applied to the living tissue, the orientation, and the like, and this causes an error in the measured value, resulting in poor measurement accuracy. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a living tissue hardness measuring device with good measurement accuracy.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems To solve the above-mentioned problems, a living tissue hardness measuring apparatus according to the present invention has a tip attached to a living tissue.
Communicating with a tubular body that abuts a portion and a tip end of the tubular body
And a limited pipe surrounded by the leading edge of the tubular body
Vibrating means for vibrating the region, and the limited vibration region
The amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration wave
Means from the distal end to the proximal end through the conduit.
By holding the limited area by inhaling
In both cases, the vibration of the vibrating means is transmitted to the limited area.
Characterized by reaching.

[0006]

In the living tissue, only a certain area thereof is securely held and vibrated uniformly.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The biological tissue hardness measuring apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a hardness measuring probe 2 that can be inserted into and removed from a channel 4a of an endoscope 4, as shown in FIG. The hardness measurement probe 2 is a flexible tube (tubular body)
The optical fiber 8 is inserted through a substantially central portion of the optical fiber 6. The optical fiber 8 is connected to a light source 14 (see FIG. 2), and is held by a fiber fixing member 10 fitted in a position inside the distal end portion of the tube 6 and at a predetermined distance from the distal end of the tube 6. I have.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the fiber fixing member 10 is provided with a plurality of through holes 12. these
Of the tube 6 together with the inner hole of the tube 6
Constitutes a conduit that communicates with the tip of the. The probe 2 can suck and exhaust air from the through hole 12 through the tube 6 by a pump (not shown) provided on the base end side thereof, and abuts the distal end of the probe 2 against a living tissue to perform the suction operation of the pump. Constitutes means for holding only the region of the living tissue surrounded by the distal end edge of the probe 2, and further constitutes vibrating means for weakly sucking and discharging by its suction force. It is possible to vibrate the living tissue portion held by holding. That is, the living tissue hardness measuring device 1 can vibrate while holding a limited region of the living tissue.

As shown in FIG. 2, an optical system 19 provided on the proximal end side of the probe 2 includes a light source 14 and a CCD 2.
0, a mirror 16 and a half mirror 18. The half mirror 18 reflects a part of the light emitted from the light source 14 to the mirror 16 and transmits the remaining light toward the tissue 22, reflects the reflected light from the tissue 22 toward the CCD 20, and Has the property of transmitting the reflected light from the CCD 20 toward the CCD 20. Therefore, a part of the light emitted from the light source 14 is reflected by the half mirror 18 and the mirror 1
6, the remaining light from the light source 14 passes through the half mirror 18, is transmitted to the tip of the probe 2 by the optical fiber 8, and is emitted toward the tissue 22.
The reflected light from the tissue 22 is reflected by the half mirror 18 and sent to the CCD 20, and the mirror 1
The reflected light from 6 passes through the half mirror 18 and is sent to the CCD.

In the optical system 19 having the above structure, the tissue 2
Since the optical path length between the light source 14 and the tissue 22 changes due to the vibration of 2, the interference fringes between the light emitted from the light source 14 (reflected light from the mirror 16) and the reflected light from the tissue 22 observed by the CCD 20. The brightness changes. Therefore, in this case, the frequency or amplitude at which the tissue 22 vibrates can be easily known by measuring the number of times the brightness of the interference fringes changes. The means for measuring the amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration wave in the limited vibration region in the biological tissue hardness measuring device 1 of the present embodiment is configured.

In addition, by measuring a number of various tissues of which hardness is known in advance by the above method, a correlation between the hardness of the tissue and the frequency or amplitude at which the tissue vibrates is obtained, and the hardness is graded. Please put on. Then, the hardness is determined from the amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration wave in the vibration region of the living tissue actually measured based on the correlation data, and the hardness can be displayed as a class value. For example, the result of performing these calculations to calculate the hardness class value can be displayed on a digital display. This constitutes means for converting the amplitude or resonance frequency measured by the biological tissue hardness measuring device 1 of the present embodiment into tissue hardness.

Next, the living tissue hardness measuring apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration is described.
Will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the probe 2 is introduced into the living body through the channel 4a of the endoscope 4, and the distal end of the probe 2 projects from the distal end of the channel 4a. Here, the endoscope 4 transmits the light from the light source 14 into the living body by the ride guide 25 connected to the light source 14, thereby observing the state inside the living body.

When the tip of the probe 2 protrudes from the tip of the channel 4a, the measured portion 22a of the living tissue 22 is
The tip of the probe 2 is brought into contact with the pump, and the pump (not shown) constituting the vibrating means performs the above-described air intake / exhaust operation. In this case, air is sucked and exhausted from the through hole 12 of the fiber fixing member 10, and only the region of the living body tissue 22 which is to be measured 22a surrounded by the distal end edge of the probe 2 is held, and the air is sucked and exhausted in time. Vibrates.

The light source 1 is caused by the vibration of the measured portion 22a.
4 and the measured portion 22a change the optical path length,
The light emitted from the light source 14 observed at 20 and the measured portion 22
The brightness of the interference fringe with the reflected light from a changes. At this time, the number of times that the brightness of the interference fringes changes is measured, and the frequency or amplitude of the vibration wave of the measurement site 22a is obtained. Then, the hardness of the measured portion 22a is measured from the obtained frequency or amplitude by the above-described hardness conversion means.

Therefore, the living tissue hardness measuring apparatus 1 having the above configuration can reliably hold and vibrate only a certain area of the living tissue 22 surrounded by the distal end edge of the probe 2. There is no variation in the measured values for each measurement performed, and the measurement accuracy is good.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The living tissue hardness measuring device 30 of the present embodiment is an endoscope 3
The hood 34 is attached to the end of the endoscope 32. Channel 3 for inserting a treatment tool of endoscope 32
6, a pump (not shown) provided on the base end side can suck and exhaust air from the distal end opening, and abuts the distal end of the hood 34 against the living tissue, and the pumping operation of the hood 34 of the living tissue Only the region surrounded by the leading edge can be held and vibrated in accordance with the timing of the intake and exhaust,
This constitutes a means for holding and vibrating a limited region of the living tissue in the living tissue hardness measuring device 30 of the present embodiment.

The endoscope 32 has an optical fiber 38 over its entire length.
Are connected to an optical system 19 having the same configuration as that of the embodiment. The living tissue hardness measuring device 30 is provided with a light source 1 to be observed by the CCD 20 of the optical system 19 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
4 (reflected light from mirror 16) and tissue 22
The frequency or amplitude at which the tissue 22 vibrates can be easily known by measuring the number of times that the brightness of the interference fringe with the reflected light from the reflected light from FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 changes. Together with the optical system 19, a means for measuring the amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration wave in the limited vibration region in the biological tissue hardness measuring device 30 of the present embodiment is configured. The means for converting the amplitude or the resonance frequency measured by the biological tissue hardness measuring device 30 into the hardness of the tissue is the same as in the first embodiment.

Therefore, the living tissue hardness measuring device 30 having the above-described structure can reliably hold and vibrate only a certain area of the living tissue 22 surrounded by the distal end edge of the hood 34, so that It has the same function and effect as the embodiment. The tissue 22 may be excited by vibrating air through a channel 36 of the endoscope 32 by a small microphone.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a third embodiment of the present invention. Biological tissue hardness measuring device 40 of the present embodiment
As shown in FIG. 6, a hardness measuring probe 42 that can be inserted into and removed from the channel 4a of the endoscope 4 is provided. The hardness measuring probe 42 is made of a flexible tube 6, and a cylindrical piezoelectric vibrator 44 constituting a vibrating means is fitted in a position within the distal end of the tube 6 and at a distance from the distal end of the tube 6 by a certain distance. Is being worn. The probe 42 can suck and exhaust air from the through hole 45 of the piezoelectric vibrator through the tube 6 by a pump (not shown) provided on the base end side, and abuts the distal end of the probe 42 against the living tissue 22, Only the region (measured part 22a) of the living tissue 22 surrounded by the distal end of the probe 42 is drawn into and held in the probe 42 by the suction operation of the pump, and can be attracted to the piezoelectric vibrator 44. Thus, the vibration operation of the piezoelectric vibrator 44 is transmitted to the measured portion 22a, and the measured portion 22a can be vibrated. This constitutes a means for holding and vibrating a limited area of the living tissue in the living tissue hardness measuring apparatus 40 of the present embodiment.

The piezoelectric vibrator 44 is electrically connected to an impedance analyzer (not shown).
Thereby, the resonance frequency of the vibration wave of the measured portion 22a can be measured, and the amplitude or the resonance frequency of the vibration wave in the limited vibration region in the biological tissue hardness measuring device 40 of the present embodiment is measured. Means.

In this embodiment, the means for converting the measured amplitude or resonance frequency into tissue hardness may be the same as in the first embodiment, but may be performed by the following means.

That is, in order to draw the region (measured part 22a) of the living tissue 22 surrounded by the distal end edge of the probe 42 into the probe 42 and adsorb it to the piezoelectric vibrator 44, the pressure in the probe 42 must be reduced If the negative pressure value is changed to some point and the resonance frequency is measured, and the result is graphed by taking the negative pressure value on the horizontal axis and the resonance frequency on the vertical axis, The graph becomes a substantially straight line, and since the slope of the straight line varies depending on the hardness, the hardness can be known from the slope.

Therefore, the living tissue hardness measuring apparatus 40 having the above-described structure can adsorb and vibrate only a certain area of the living tissue 22 surrounded by the distal end edge of the probe 42 by the piezoelectric vibrator 44. This has the same effect as the first embodiment. Note that the tube 6 may be made of a hard material, and the tube 6 itself may be made of a vibration horn.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since it is possible to reliably hold and vibrate only a certain region of the living tissue, the measurement values obtained for each measurement do not vary, and the measurement accuracy is good.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a biological tissue hardness measuring apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical system of the biological tissue hardness measuring device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which the living tissue hardness measuring device of FIG. 1 is used together with an endoscope.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an operation mode of the biological tissue hardness measuring device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a living tissue hardness measuring apparatus showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part of a living tissue hardness measuring apparatus showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an operation mode of the biological tissue hardness measuring device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 30, 40: Hardness measuring device for living tissue, 2, 42: Probe for measuring hardness, 4, 32: Endoscope, 12: Through hole, 4
4. Piezoelectric vibrator.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yumi Hirao 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-limpus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Norio Matsui 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-limpus (56) References JP-A-59-2728 (JP, A) JP-A-59-168836 (JP, A) JP-A-63-186621 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated ( Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 5/00-5/03

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tubular body for abutting a distal end portion on a living tissue
When, a conduit communicating with the front end portion of the tubular body, and a vibration means for vibrating the region defined is surrounded by the tip edge of the tubular body, amplitude or resonance frequency of the vibration waves of the limited vibration area Means for converting the pressure into tissue hardness, and inhaling from the distal end side to the proximal end side through the conduit.
To maintain the limited area,
An apparatus for measuring the hardness of a living tissue , wherein the vibration of the means is transmitted to the limited area .