Confocal observation system

1. A confocal observation system, comprising:

an image acquisition unit for acquiring respective optical cross sectional images of a three-dimensional specimen at a plurality of different Z positions;

a three-dimensional image construction unit for constructing a three-dimensional image from a set of the optical cross sectional images acquired by the image acquisition unit;

a display unit for displaying the three-dimensional image constructed by the three-dimensional image construction unit;

a specification unit for specifying at least one three-dimensional region in the three-dimensional image displayed on the display unit; and

a region acquisition unit for acquiring a set of cross sectional regions corresponding to the at least one three-dimensional region specified by the specification unit,

wherein the specified three-dimensional region is at least one of observed and stimulated by irradiating the set of cross sectional regions acquired by the region acquisition unit with at least one of excitation light and stimulation light.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the region acquisition unit acquires the set of cross sectional regions from the optical cross sectional images acquired by the image acquisition unit and/or by interpolation from the optical cross sectional images acquired by the image acquisition unit.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the excitation light and the stimulation light comprise a pulsed laser beam for exciting the three-dimensional specimen by multiphoton excitation.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the image acquisition unit comprises a first optical system for acquiring the optical cross sectional images of the three-dimensional specimen, and

a second optical system is provided for irradiating the set of cross sectional regions acquired by the region acquisition unit with the excitation light or stimulation light.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the specification unit specifies a plurality of three-dimensional regions in the three-dimensional image displayed on the display;

the region acquisition unit acquires the set of cross sectional regions to be irradiated based on the plurality of the three-dimensional regions specified by the specification unit; and

the set of cross sectional regions are scanned at a high resolution by the irradiation of the excitation light or the stimulation light.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein:

the plurality of the three-dimensional regions are specified by the specification unit using a plurality of points specified in the three-dimensional image constructed by the three-dimensional image construction unit.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein:

the plurality of the three-dimensional regions are specified by the specification unit using a plurality of two-dimensional regions specified in the three-dimensional image constructed by the three-dimensional image construction unit.

8. The system according to claim 5 , wherein:

the plurality of the three-dimensional regions are specified by the specification unit using a plurality of three-dimensional regions specified in the three-dimensional image constructed by the three-dimensional image construction unit.

9. An irradiating method for a confocal observation system, comprising:

acquiring optical cross sectional images of a three-dimensional specimen;

constructing a three-dimensional image from the acquired optical cross sectional images;

specifying a desired three-dimensional region in the constructed three-dimensional image;

acquiring a set of cross sectional regions corresponding to the specified three-dimensional region; and

irradiating the acquired set of cross sectional regions with at least one of excitation light and stimulation light.

10. A method of scanning for a confocal observation system, comprising:

acquiring optical cross sectional images of a three-dimensional specimen;

constructing a three-dimensional image from the acquired optical cross sectional images;

specifying a plurality of desired three-dimensional regions in the constructed three-dimensional image;

acquiring a set of cross sectional regions corresponding to the plurality of the specified three-dimensional regions; and scanning the acquired set of cross sectional regions at a high resolution by irradiation with at least one of excitation light and stimulation light.

11. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to realize:

a function of acquiring optical cross sectional images of a three-dimensional specimen;

a function of constructing a three-dimensional image from the acquired optical cross sectional images;

a function of specifying a desired three-dimensional region in the constructed three-dimensional image;

a function of acquiring a set of cross sectional regions corresponding to the specified three-dimensional region; and

a function of irradiating the acquired set of cross sectional regions with at least one of excitation light and stimulation light.

12. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to realize:

a function of acquiring optical cross sectional images of a three-dimensional specimen;

a function of constructing a three-dimensional image from the acquired optical cross sectional images;

a function of specifying a plurality of desired three-dimensional regions in the constructed three-dimensional image;

a function of acquiring a set of cross sectional regions corresponding to the plurality of the specified three-dimensional regions; and

a function of scanning the acquired set of cross sectional regions at a high resolution by irradiation with at least one of excitation light and stimulation light.