CAPSULE GUIDING SYSTEM
A capsule guiding system includes: a capsule medical device that is introduced into a subject and takes an in-vivo image in the subject; a capsule guiding unit that guides the capsule medical device; an image acquisition unit that acquires the in-vivo image of the subject from the capsule medical device; a display unit that displays the in-vivo image of the subject acquired by the image acquisition unit; a storage unit that sequentially stores guidance information of the capsule guiding unit that guides the capsule medical device; an input unit that inputs instruction information to instruct backward moving of the capsule medical device; and a control unit that controls, when the instruction information is input, the capsule guiding unit such that the capsule medical device backwardly moves on a trajectory based on the guidance information of the capsule guiding unit stored in the storage unit.
1 . A capsule guiding system comprising:
a capsule medical device that is introduced into a subject and takes an in-vivo image in the subject;
a capsule guiding unit that guides the capsule medical device;
an image acquisition unit that acquires the in-vivo image of the subject from the capsule medical device;
a display unit that displays the in-vivo image of the subject acquired by the image acquisition unit;
a storage unit that sequentially stores guidance information of the capsule guiding unit that guides the capsule medical device;
an input unit that inputs instruction information to instruct backward moving of the capsule medical device; and
a control unit that controls, when the instruction information is input, the capsule guiding unit such that the capsule medical device backwardly moves on a trajectory based on the guidance information of the capsule guiding unit stored in the storage unit.
2 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the input unit inputs mark information to be assigned to the in-vivo image displayed on the display unit,
the storage unit sequentially stores guidance information of the capsule guiding unit for guiding the capsule medical device from a certain past position being an imaging position of the in-vivo image to which the mark information is assigned to a current position at which the capsule medical device currently exists, and
the control unit controls the capsule guiding unit to guide the capsule medical device from the current position to the past position.
3 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the storage unit sequentially stores an in-vivo image taken by the capsule medical device in association with guidance information of the capsule guiding unit, and
the control unit controls the capsule guiding unit to guide the capsule medical device to an imaging position of a past in-vivo image relative to an imaging position of an in-vivo image currently displayed on the display unit.
4 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the input unit inputs mark information to be assigned to the in-vivo image displayed on the display unit,
the storage unit sequentially stores an in-vivo image taken by the capsule medical device in association with guidance information of the capsule guiding unit, and
the control unit extracts, from the storage unit, guidance information of the capsule guiding unit for guiding the capsule medical device from a past position being an imaging position of the in-vivo image to which the mark information is assigned to a current position and controls the capsule guiding unit to guide the capsule medical device from the current position to the past position based on the extracted guidance information.
5 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a position detection unit that detects position information of the capsule medical device at the inside of the subject,
wherein the display unit displays trajectory information connecting the position information of the capsule medical device,
the storage unit sequentially stores the position information of the capsule medical device in association with the guidance information of the capsule guiding unit,
the input unit inputs designation information to designate past position information of the capsule medical device included in the trajectory information, and
the control unit controls the capsule guiding unit to guide the capsule medical device from a current position to a past position corresponding to the past position information.
6 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the control unit sequentially calculates distance difference between position information of the capsule medical device to be guided toward the past position and the trajectory information and controls the capsule guiding unit to stop guiding of the capsule medical device when the distance difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
7 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit determines whether or not the capsule medical device has arrived at a vicinity of the past position being targeted and controls the capsule guiding unit to reduce guiding speed of the capsule medical device to low speed after arriving at the vicinity of the past position compared to that before arriving thereat.
8 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit determines whether or not the capsule medical device has arrived at the past position being targeted and controls the capsule guiding unit to keep the capsule medical device staying at the arrived past position if the capsule medical device has arrived at the past position.
9 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit determines whether or not the capsule medical device has arrived at the past position being targeted and controls the capsule guiding unit to swing the capsule medical device if the capsule medical device has arrived at the past position.
10 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the input unit inputs frontward-moving instruction information to instruct frontward moving of the capsule medical device, and
the control unit controls the capsule guiding unit to cause the capsule medical device to move frontward on a trajectory based on the guidance information of the capsule guiding unit stored in the storage unit when the frontward instruction information is input.
11 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the control unit extracts at least one or more characteristic images having predetermined character from among an in-vivo image group of the subject taken by the capsule medical device and controls the display unit to display the extracted characteristic images, and
the input unit inputs the mark information to be assigned to any of the characteristic images displayed on the display unit.
12 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the input unit further inputs additional information to be added to the in-vivo image displayed on the display unit, and
the storage unit stores the in-vivo image, the additional information and the guidance information of the capsule guiding unit in association with each other.
13 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the mark information is information related to attractive force exerted on the capsule medical device by the capsule guiding unit.
14 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the mark information is information related to torque exerted on the capsule medical device by the capsule guiding unit.
15 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the mark information is information related to movement speed of the capsule medical device.
16 . The capsule guiding system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the mark information is information related to a previously-defined variation pattern of a magnetic field to be generated by the capsule guiding unit.