IP Library Granted Patent US 12,150,712
Granted Patent B2
US 12,150,712 · App. 17/572,642 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus, method of controlling same, and recording medium

Inventor: Kazuhiro Oomori (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
A61B3/135A61B3/0008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,150,712
App. No.
17/572,642
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus includes an irradiation system, a light receiving system, and a controller. The irradiation system includes a spatial light modulator modulating light from a light source, and is configured to irradiate slit-shaped illumination light toward a cornea by modulating the light using the spatial light modulator. The light receiving system is arranged obliquely to the irradiation system and includes an image sensor receiving reflected light from the cornea. The controller is configured to control the spatial light modulator so as to irradiate the illumination light onto an illumination region on the cornea, and is configured to control the image sensor to set an opening range on a light receiving surface corresponding to the illumination region on the cornea and to capture a light receiving result of reflection component from a corneal endothelium obtained by a light receiving element in the set opening range.

Claims (48)

1. A corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus, comprising:

an irradiation system including a spatial light modulator modulating light from a light source, and configured to irradiate slit-shaped illumination light toward a cornea of a subject's eye by modulating the light from the light source using the spatial light modulator;

a light receiving system arranged obliquely to the irradiation system and including an image sensor receiving reflected light from the cornea; and

a controller configured to control the spatial light modulator so as to irradiate the illumination light onto an illumination region on the cornea, and configured to control the image sensor to set an opening range on a light receiving surface corresponding to the illumination region on the cornea and to capture a light receiving result of reflection component from a corneal endothelium obtained by a light receiving element in the set opening range.

2. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to control the spatial light modulator so as to sequentially irradiate the illumination light onto two or more illumination regions on the cornea, and is configured to control the image sensor to sequentially set two or more opening ranges on the light receiving surface corresponding to the illumination regions on the cornea and to sequentially capture the light receiving results of reflection component from the corneal endothelium obtained by the light receiving elements in the set opening range.

3. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising

an image synthesizer configured to generate a synthetic image by synthesizing two or more images based on the light receiving results obtained by the light receiving elements in the two or more opening ranges on the light receiving surface.

4. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising

an analyzer configured to obtain information representing a state of corneal endothelial cells by analyzing the synthetic image.

5. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the irradiation system includes a slit in which an aperture is formed, the slit being configured to be irradiated by the light from the light source, and

the spatial light modulator includes an optical scanner configured to deflect the slit-shaped illumination light passing through the aperture formed in the slit.

6. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 5 , wherein

the slit is arranged at a position substantially conjugate optically to the corneal endothelium.

7. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 5 , wherein

the optical scanner is arranged at a position substantially conjugate optically to the light source.

8. The corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising

a first relay lens system arranged between the light source and the slit; and

a second relay lens system arranged between the slit and the optical scanner, wherein

the light source is arranged at a front focal position of the first relay lens system, and

the slit is arranged at a front focal position of the second relay lens system.

9. A method of controlling a corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus including:

an irradiation system including a spatial light modulator modulating light from a light source, and configured to irradiate slit-shaped illumination light toward a cornea of a subject's eye by modulating the light from the light source using the spatial light modulator; and

a light receiving system arranged obliquely to the irradiation system and including an image sensor receiving reflected light from the cornea, the method comprising:

an irradiation system control step of controlling the spatial light modulator so as to irradiate the illumination light onto an illumination region on the cornea; and

a light receiving system control step of controlling the image sensor to set an opening range on a light receiving surface corresponding to the illumination region on the cornea and to capture a light receiving result of reflection component from a corneal endothelium obtained by a light receiving element in the set opening range.

10. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

the irradiation system control step is performed to control the spatial light modulator so as to sequentially irradiate the illumination light onto two or more illumination regions on the cornea, and

the light receiving system control step is performed to control the image sensor to sequentially set two or more opening ranges on the light receiving surface corresponding to the illumination regions on the cornea and to sequentially capture the light receiving results of reflection component from the corneal endothelium obtained by the light receiving elements in the set opening range.

11. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising

an image synthesizing step of generating a synthetic image by synthesizing two or more images based on the light receiving results obtained by the light receiving elements in the two or more opening ranges on the light receiving surface.

12. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising

an analyzing step of obtaining information representing a state of corneal endothelial cells by analyzing the synthetic image.

13. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 9 , wherein

the irradiation system includes a slit in which an aperture is formed, the slit being configured to be irradiated by the light from the light source, and

the spatial light modulator includes an optical scanner configured to deflect the slit-shaped illumination light passing through the aperture formed in the slit.

14. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

the slit is arranged at a position substantially conjugate optically to the corneal endothelium.

15. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

the optical scanner is arranged at a position substantially conjugate optically to the light source.

16. The method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus further includes:

a first relay lens system arranged between the light source and the slit; and

a second relay lens system arranged between the slit and the optical scanner, wherein

the light source is arranged at a front focal position of the first relay lens system, and

the slit is arranged at a front focal position of the second relay lens system.

17. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program of causing a computer to execute each step of the method of controlling the corneal endothelial cell imaging apparatus of claim 9 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2022
From: OOMORI, KAZUHIRO
To: TOPCON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058700/0284 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTJP2020033390 · Sep 3, 2020
Provisional Application 62898643 · Sep 11, 2019
Related Publication 20220125308A1 · Apr 28, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,440,102