US-20260123819-A1 - ENDOSCOPIC EXAMINATION SUPPORT APPARATUS, ENDOSCOPIC EXAMINATION SUPPORT METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

US20260123819A1US 20260123819 A1US20260123819 A1US 20260123819A1US-20260123819-A1

Abstract

In the endoscopic examination support apparatus, the image acquisition means acquires an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope. The lesion detection means detects a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video. The heat map generation means generates a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video by a color. The display control means displays a position of a lesion on a frame of the endoscopic video based on the lesion candidate and the heat map.

Inventors

Tatsu KIMURA
Takuma IGARASHI

Assignees

NEC CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . An endoscopic examination support apparatus comprising: a memory configured to store instructions and display setting information associating each of a plurality of user identifiers with a respective indicator display mode; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to: acquire a user identifier of an examiner performing an examination; acquire an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope; detect a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video; determine, based on the lesion candidate, a position and a size of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video; select, from the display setting information, the indicator display mode associated with the acquired user identifier; and control a display to present, on a frame that surrounds the endoscopic video, an indicator indicating the position and the size of the lesion candidate in accordance with the selected indicator display mode, wherein the indicator display mode includes at least one of (i) a display location on the frame, (ii) a color, or (iii) a pattern of the indicator.
2 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display location is selected from among a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge of the frame.
3 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to: generate a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate; and determine the position and the size of the lesion candidate based on the heat map.
4 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a first indicator disposed along a first edge of the frame and a second indicator disposed along a second edge of the frame, the first and second edges being mutually perpendicular.
5 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, upon detection of multiple lesion candidates, the at least one processor presents indicators for the respective ones of the multiple lesion candidates in mutually different display modes included in the selected indicator display mode.
6 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to provide a user interface for an examiner to create or modify the display setting information associated with the examiner's user identifier.
7 . The endoscopic examination support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is displayed on the frame without being superimposed on the endoscopic video.
8 . An endoscopic examination support method comprising: storing, in a memory, display setting information associating each of a plurality of user identifiers with a respective indicator display mode; acquiring, by at least one processor, a user identifier of an examiner performing an examination; acquiring, by the at least one processor, an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope; detecting, by the at least one processor, a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video; determining, by the at least one processor based on the lesion candidate, a position and a size of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video; selecting, by the at least one processor from the display setting information, the indicator display mode associated with the acquired user identifier; and controlling, by the at least one processor, a display to present, on a frame that surrounds the endoscopic video, an indicator indicating the position and the size of the lesion candidate in accordance with the selected indicator display mode, wherein the indicator display mode includes at least one of (i) a display location on the frame, (ii) a color, or (iii) a pattern of the indicator.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the display location is selected from among a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge of the frame.
10 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising: generating a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate; and determining the position and the size of the lesion candidate based on the heat map.
11 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the indicator comprises a first indicator disposed along a first edge of the frame and a second indicator disposed along a second edge of the frame, the first and second edges being mutually perpendicular.
12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein, upon detection of multiple lesion candidates, the method further comprises presenting indicators for the respective ones of the multiple lesion candidates in mutually different display modes included in the selected indicator display mode.
13 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising providing a user interface for an examiner to create or modify the display setting information associated with the examiner's user identifier.
14 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program that, when executed by at least one processor, causes a computer to perform a method comprising: accessing display setting information stored in a memory, the display setting information associating each of a plurality of user identifiers with a respective indicator display mode; acquiring a user identifier of an examiner performing an examination; acquiring an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope; detecting a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video; determining, based on the lesion candidate, a position and a size of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video; selecting, from the display setting information, the indicator display mode associated with the acquired user identifier; and controlling a display to present, on a frame that surrounds the endoscopic video, an indicator indicating the position and the size of the lesion candidate in accordance with the selected indicator display mode, wherein the indicator display mode includes at least one of (i) a display location on the frame, (ii) a color, or (iii) a pattern of the indicator.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein the display location is selected from among a left edge, a right edge, an upper edge, and a lower edge of the frame.
16 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises: generating a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate; and determining the position and the size of the lesion candidate based on the heat map.
17 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator comprises a first indicator disposed along a first edge of the frame and a second indicator disposed along a second edge of the frame, the first and second edges being mutually perpendicular.
18 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein, upon detection of multiple lesion candidates, the method further comprises presenting indicators for the respective ones of the multiple lesion candidates in mutually different display modes included in the selected indicator display mode.
19 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises providing a user interface for an examiner to create or modify the display setting information associated with the examiner's user identifier.
20 . The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator is displayed on the frame without being superimposed on the endoscopic video.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/286,636 filed Oct. 12, 2023, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2022/029104 filed Jul. 28, 2022, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to processing of images relating to an endoscopic examination. BACKGROUND ART In the endoscopic examination, there is known a technology to detect lesion from the endoscopic image and superimpose figures or the like on the endoscopic image in order to indicate the position and size of the detected lesion. However, there is such a problem that the endoscopic image becomes difficult to see as a result of superimposing the figures. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of superimposing a marker surrounding the lesion on the observation image in accordance with the overlooking risk of the lesion when the lesion is detected, and a method of displaying a marker so as to surround the peripheral portion of the observation image. PRECEDING TECHNICAL REFERENCES Patent Document Patent Document 1: International Publication WO2020/110214 SUMMARY Problem to be Solved However, even by Patent Document 1, it is not always possible to indicate the position and size of the lesion without superimposing figures or the like on the endoscopic image. It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an endoscopic examination support apparatus that enables to grasp the position and size of a lesion. Means for Solving the Problem According to an example aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an endoscopic examination support apparatus comprising: a video acquisition means configured to acquire an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope;a lesion detection means configured to detect a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video;a heat map generation means configured to generate a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video by a color; anda display control means configured to display a position of a lesion on a frame of the endoscopic video based on the lesion candidate and the heat map. According to another example aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an endoscopic examination support method comprising: acquiring an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope;detecting a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video;generating a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesion candidate in the endoscopic video by a color; anddisplaying a position of a lesion on a frame of the endoscopic video based on the lesion candidate and the heat map. According to still another example aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a recording medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to execute processing comprising: acquiring an endoscopic video captured by an endoscope;detecting a lesion candidate from the endoscopic video;generating a heat map indicating a possibility of lesion of the lesioncandidate in the endoscopic video by a color; anddisplaying a position of a lesion on a frame of the endoscopic video based on the lesion candidate and the heat map. Effect According to the present disclosure, a part of the endoscopic image is not blocked and the position and size of a lesion can be grasped. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an endoscopic examination system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a method of generating an indicator. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of the endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another display example of the endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing still another display example of the endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of display processing by the endoscopic examination support apparatus. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an endoscopic examination support apparatus of a second example embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of processing by the endoscopic examination support apparatus of the second example embodiment. EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS Preferred example embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First Example Embodiment System Configuration FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an endoscopic examination system 100. The endoscopic examination system 100 detects a lesion during examination (including treatment) utilizing the endoscope and displays an indicator indicating the position and size of the lesion on the frame of the display screen of the endoscopic image. This allows the docto