電子スコープの特性と問題点

Current Status of Electronic Endoscope

要旨　電子スコープは固体撮像素子（CCD）を先端に装着した内視鏡である．その原理は映像をCCDにて電気信号に変換し，映像コントローラーで処理してモニターテレビ上に映像を作製するという機構より成り立っている．したがって，種々の画像処理など従来のファイバースコープでは考えられなかったことが可能となっている．現在の電子スコープには画素数，ラティチュードの狭さなど，いまだ多くの問題があるが，それでも画像はファイバースコープのそれよりも鮮鋭である．今後CCDやテレビモニターの改良に伴って，限りない診断能の進歩が予測される．上記の事柄について解説し症例を呈示した．

　The electronic endoscope differs from the fiberoptic endoscope in that it contains a small light-sensitive CCD chip which is attached to the tip of the endoscope. The image detected by the CCD chip is passed in the form of an electronic signal through the endoscope to the video processor, which charges the signal into a form capable of being visualized on the TV monitor.

　Thus, the electronic endoscope has great possibilities of clinical applications such as computor analysis of the endoscopic image, which has not been obtainable on the fiberoptic endoscope. At present, the electronic endoscope has many problems such as the number of pixels and poor latitudes, however, the image provided by this system is superior to that obtained by a fiberoptic endoscope in resolution of the detail. It is expected that remarkable development of diagnosability will be provided by the electronic endoscopy in association with an improvement of CCD and TV monitor.

　Explanation was given on these subjects above mentioned, and some cases were presented.