Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080234546 | IN VIVO OBSERVATION DEVICE - This in vivo device is provided with a capsular casing and a foreign object removing device. The capsular casing is taken into a living body. The foreign object removing device removes a foreign object between a surface of a body tissue and the casing. | 09-25-2008 |
20080242928 | IN VIVO OBSERVATION DEVICE - This in vivo observation device is equipped with a capsular casing that is taken orally into the body, and an observation device provided within said casing which observes the inside of the body through an observation wall surface of said casing; and, is provided with a contact auxiliary device that causes the observation wall surface to closely contact to body tissue during observation. | 10-02-2008 |
20080255543 | BODY-INSERTABLE APPARATUS AND MEDICAL AGENT DISCHARGE METHOD - A body-insertable apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is introduced into a subject to inject medical agent stored in a casing into a desired part in the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes a fixing unit which fixes the casing to the desired part; and a projecting unit which projects, from the casing, an injection needle for injecting the medical agent. The fixing unit and the projecting unit are driven by a driving source. | 10-16-2008 |
20080294143 | BODY-INSERTABLE DEVICE AND LIQUID MEDICINE INJECTION METHOD - A body-insertable device is introduced into a desired part in a body for injecting a liquid medicine stored in a casing into the desired part. The body-insertable device includes a projecting portion which projects an injection needle injecting the liquid medicine toward the desired part; a detecting unit which detects a position relation between a biological tissue surface in the desired part and the injection needle; and a control unit. The control unit controls an amount of projection of the injection needle according to the position relation detected by the detecting unit, and controls a puncture depth of the injection needle from the biological tissue surface. | 11-27-2008 |
20080297291 | HOUSING APPARATUS - A housing apparatus includes housing units in which a plurality of permanent magnets are housed, respectively; binding units which are arranged in the housing units, respectively, and bind the permanent magnets in the housing units, respectively; permanent magnet detectors which are arranged in the housing units, respectively, and detect whether the permanent magnets are housed in the housing units, respectively; and a control unit which controls the binding units to selectively keep the permanent magnets in a binding state or a nonbinding state on the basis of detection results of the permanent magnet detectors. | 12-04-2008 |
20080300453 | INTRA-SUBJECT OBSERVATION SYSTEM AND INTRA-SUBJECT OBSERVATION METHOD - An intra-subject observation system includes a first liquid inserted into a desired organ of a subject; and a second liquid inserted into the organ without being mixed with the first liquid due to a specific gravity lighter than that of the first liquid. The system also includes a capsule medical apparatus inserted into the organ with an intermediate specific gravity between the specific gravity of the first liquid and that of the second liquid to acquire intra-subject information, which is output out of the subject by radio. | 12-04-2008 |
20080319262 | Medical Device Control System - A medical device control system improves an inducing stability and operability of a medical device having its direction controlled with magnetism, which is used for the inspection or treatment in a subject's body. The control system is formed of a medical device including an insertion member inserted into the subject's body, and a magnetic field response portion disposed within the insertion member for generating torque in response to the magnetic field applied from outside the subject's body, a direction detection unit that detects an insertion direction of the insertion member, a user interface through which the information with respect to the control of the insertion direction is input and output, a magnetic field generation portion that generates a magnetic field that directs the insertion member to a control direction, and a user interface control unit that controls the user interface based on a discordance between the control direction and the insertion direction. | 12-25-2008 |
20090005639 | Capsule medical apparatus - A capsule medical apparatus includes a capsule housing | 01-01-2009 |
20090012503 | Body-Insertable Apparatus - A body-insertable apparatus is introduced in a subject to perform at least one of input and output of a predetermined fluid to and from the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes a reservoir ( | 01-08-2009 |
20090043278 | Body-insertable apparatus - A body-insertable apparatus that can reduce the apparatus size and perform projection operation of an injection needle in a power saving manner is provided. A body-insertable apparatus | 02-12-2009 |
20090204181 | CAPSULE TYPE MEDICAL DEVICE SYSTEM, AND CAPSULE TYPE MEDICAL DEVICE - A capsule type medical device, including: a capsule shaped casing which can be ingested to within the living body; an electrical stimulation device which comprises a plurality of electrodes which are used for applying electrical stimuli to living body tissue; an electrode selection device which selects an electrode from among the plurality of electrodes, to apply an electrical stimulus; a contact detection device which electrically detects the electrode which is in contact with the living body tissue; and a control section which controls the various devices. | 08-13-2009 |
20090281387 | CAPSULE-TYPE MEDICAL APPARATUS, GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND GUIDANCE METHOD THEREFOR, AND INTRASUBJECT INSERTION APPARATUS - Using a guidance system with a simple configuration, propulsive motion along a longitudinal direction and changing of the propulsion direction are easily performed with good precision and stability. There is provided a capsule-type medical apparatus | 11-12-2009 |
20090287121 | LUMEN PASSABILITY CHECKING DEVICE AND METHODS OF DISSOLVING AND MANUFACTURING THE DEVICE - A lumen passability checking device includes: a soluble unit made of a material that dissolves in a body and forming a structure of a capsule shape; and an insoluble unit made of a material that does not dissolve in the body and forming a thin film that covers the surface of the soluble unit excluding an opening. The shape of the insoluble unit is maintained by the soluble unit, and the insoluble unit collapses when the soluble unit dissolves and collapses. | 11-19-2009 |
20090292173 | LUMEN PASSABILITY CHECKING DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LUMEN PASSABILITY CHECKING DEVICE - A lumen passability checking device has a capsule shape and a size capable of being introduced into a body. The lumen passability checking device includes a first insoluble portion that is made of a material insoluble in the body, and that is provided as a thin portion, excluding a part of a surface of a capsule shaped body; a soluble portion that is made of a material soluble in the body, forms the capsule shaped body, and is provided in the first insoluble portion, including the part of the surface of the capsule shaped body, the part being exposed to outside; and a second insoluble portion that is made of a material insoluble in the body, and that divides the soluble portion to form a dissolution route in the soluble portion, the dissolution route progressing from the part of the surface to inside. | 11-26-2009 |
20090299142 | OPERATING DEVICE, MONITOR DEVICE, AND CAPSULE GUIDING SYSTEM - An operating device operates a capsule endoscope with 6 degrees-of-freedom motion by using a magnetic field generator with respect to the capsule endoscope inserted into the subject. The operating device includes an operating unit including a fixed unit and a movable unit, and a force sensor incorporated in the operating unit. The operating unit has a three-dimensional shape substantially identical to the capsule endoscope and is a holdable size. The force sensor detects force information of the movable unit when the movable unit of the operating unit is operated once or continuously. The force information detected by the force sensor is output as instruction information for instructing 6 degrees-of-freedom motion of the capsule endoscope. | 12-03-2009 |
20090299144 | CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE - A capsule endoscope includes a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit for taking an image of an inside of an organ in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid introduced inside the organ of a subject. Specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ; a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ:1−ρ. A straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane. The center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume. A surface of a boundary of a field of view that forms an angle of view of the imaging unit and the plane do not intersect outside the capsule endoscope. | 12-03-2009 |
20090303319 | BODY-INSERTABLE APPARATUS SYSTEM - A body-insertable apparatus system includes: a body-insertable apparatus having a light emitting unit that emits a light having a low-reflectance wavelength and a light having a high-reflectance wavelength to a detection-target site and an imaging unit that receives the lights to take an in-vivo image of a subject; and a detector that detects the detection-target site of a detection-target area in the subject based on an amount of the light having the high-reflectance wavelength and an amount of the light having the low-reflectance wavelength of an area of the in-vivo image, the area of the in-vivo image corresponding to the detection-target area. | 12-10-2009 |
20090306473 | CAPSULE MEDICAL APPARATUS - A capsule medical apparatus includes a needle driving unit that punctures an internal region of a subject with an injection needle and pulls out the injection needle from the internal region, a liquid injection unit that injects a liquid into the internal region through the injection needle, and a leak prevention unit that prevents the liquid that is injected into the internal region from leaking from the internal region. | 12-10-2009 |
20100001592 | MAGNETIC ACTUATOR, MAGNETIC ACTUATOR OPERATING METHOD, AND CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE USING THE SAME - A magnetic actuator includes a housing; a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet placed in the housing and being relatively rotatable in a plane including a magnetization direction; a magnetic-field generating unit outside of the housing, the magnetic-field generating unit generating a magnetic field that relatively rotates the first permanent magnet and/or the second permanent magnet in a direction such that the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet generate a repulsive force against each other; and a first guiding portion provided in the housing to regulate a direction in which the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet relatively move by the generated repulsive force. | 01-07-2010 |
20100010304 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A system for guiding capsule medical device is provided with a capsule medical device, a magnetic guidance device, and an image display device. The capsule medical device is provided with an imaging unit for imaging an in-vivo image of a subject and a permanent magnet magnetized in a known direction relatively fixed with respect to an upward and downward direction of an imaging surface of the imaging unit in a capsule casing, and has a center of gravity at a location deviated from a geometric center of the capsule casing in a direction parallel to a plane parallel to a magnetization direction of the permanent magnet and an imaging direction of the imaging unit and different from the magnetization direction of the permanent magnet, and maintains a specific state in which the magnetization direction of the permanent magnet and the imaging direction of the imaging unit are parallel to a vertical plane in liquid introduced into the subject. The magnetic guidance device magnetically guides the capsule medical device in the liquid while maintaining the specific state by applying a magnetic field to the permanent magnet. The image display device displays the in-vivo image by conforming a direction of intersection line of the imaging surface and the vertical plane in the in-vivo image to an upward and downward direction of the display screen. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010305 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A system for guiding capsule medical device is provided with a capsule medical device, a magnetic guidance device, an operation input unit, a control device, and an image display device. The capsule medical device is includes therein a first and second imaging units that image images in imaging directions different from each other and a permanent magnet. The magnetic guidance device applies a magnetic field to the permanent magnet to magnetically guide the capsule medical device in a subject. The operation input unit receives operation information to operate magnetic guidance of the capsule medical device. The control device controls the magnetic guidance device to magnetically guide the capsule medical device in response to the operation information input through the operation input unit. The image display device displays a first in-vivo image of the subject imaged by the first imaging unit and a second in-vivo image of the subject imaged by the second imaging unit, and clearly shows which of the first and second in-vivo images is an operation target image at the time of the magnetic guidance of the capsule medical device. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010306 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A system for guiding capsule medical device includes a capsule medical device that includes a capsule casing including an imaging unit and a permanent magnet magnetized in a direction relatively fixed with respect to an upward and downward direction of an imaging surface of the imaging unit. The capsule medical device has a center of gravity deviated from a geometric center of the casing toward a direction different from a magnetization direction of the permanent magnetic. In the capsule medical device, a plane parallel to the imaging surface and a plane parallel to the magnetization direction and a deviation direction of the center of gravity with respect to the geometric center form an intersection line. The system further includes a magnetic guidance device; and an image display device displaying an in-vivo image such that a direction of the intersection line conforms to an upward and downward direction of a screen. | 01-14-2010 |
20100030025 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A capsule medical device includes a capsule casing that contains an illumination board, an imaging board, a transmission board, and a control board on which functional components are mounted, and a sheet-like battery that supplies power to the functional components. The sheet-like battery is rolled up to be a pole shape and located between cutout parts of the imaging board, the transmission board, and the control board and the inner wall of the capsule casing. | 02-04-2010 |
20100030026 | MEDICAL APPARATUS GUIDING SYSTEM - A medical apparatus main body such as a capsule main body inserted in the body cavity includes a thrust generating mechanism such as a spiral projection. The medical apparatus main body further forms an information providing unit comprising at least one of a storing unit for storing a state of the thrust generating mechanism and a direction detecting unit for detecting the direction of the medical apparatus main body. An input unit instructs a thrust generating direction of the thrust generating mechanism and thus a control unit changes continuously or the like a thrust generating state of the thrust generating mechanism based on information from the information providing unit. | 02-04-2010 |
20100032546 | OBSERVATION APPARATUS AND OBSERVATION METHOD - An observation apparatus includes a light radiating unit that radiates a plurality of element lights, each of which has a limited wavelength band, to an observation target; a light detecting unit that detects the plurality of element lights reflected by the observation target in a plurality of patterns by changing a weight for each of the element lights; and a processing unit that performs a procedure of separating a component of each of the element lights from a plurality of detection results of the light detecting unit based on the weight for each of the element lights of the light detecting unit. | 02-11-2010 |
20100049033 | MEDICAL DEVICE POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM, MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM, POSITION DETECTION METHOD OF MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM, AND GUIDANCE METHOD OF MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM - A medical device position detection system and a position detection method of a medical device guidance system, which are capable of detecting a direction of the medical device accurately, are provided. Included are a medical device introduced into a subject's body; a magnetic field response part that is disposed in the medical device, responds to a magnetic field by virtue of possessing a magnetization direction, and guides the medical device; a magnetic field generation part forming the magnetic field within the subject's body; a direction detection magnetic field control part generating a direction detection magnetic field from the magnetic field generation part for detecting the direction of the medical device; a response detection part detecting a response of the magnetic field response part due to the direction detection magnetic field; and a direction calculating part calculating the direction of the medical device according to the direction of the direction detection magnetic field and a detection result of the response detection part. | 02-25-2010 |
20100056866 | MEDICAL GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF MEDICAL DEVICE - A medical guidance system and a control method of a medical device are provided, which may increase the drive force of a medical device and improve controllability thereof. The medical guidance system has a medical device that includes a biologic information acquisition unit that acquires biologic information of the inside of a body cavity and a magnet that generates drive force in response to a magnetic field exerted from the outside of a body, a magnetic field generation unit | 03-04-2010 |
20100130822 | CAPSULE-TYPE MEDICAL DEVICE AND METHOD OF MONITORING ESOPHAGUS INSIDE AND STOMACH INSIDE, METHOD OF MONITORING STOMACH INSIDE AND METHOD OF WASHING STOMACH USING THE SAME - The specific gravity of a capsule-type endoscope according to the invention is set to be lower than that of liquid in an organ, so that the capsule-type endoscope is floated on a liquid surface of the liquid. A center of gravity of the capsule-type endoscope is set to a position deviated from a center of a casing, so that the casing is maintained in a specific floating position while being floated on the liquid surface. A boundary between the casing and the liquid surface is formed within a projection plane, which is obtained by projecting the casing in the specific floating position perpendicularly to the liquid surface, at a position excluding an outer periphery of the projection plane Ka. | 05-27-2010 |
20100156399 | POSITION DETECTING DEVICE, MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM, POSITION DETECTING METHOD, AND MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDING METHOD - A position detecting device includes a detected object that includes a circuit with an internal coil; a magnetic-field generator that includes a magnetic-field generating coil for generating a magnetic field with respect to a detection space of the detected object; detection coils that detect an induced magnetic field generated from the internal coil caused by the magnetic field; a magnetic-field-generating-coil switching unit that selects a magnetic-field generating coil from the magnetic-field generating coils in the magnetic-field generator; a storage unit that stores predetermined information for selecting a magnetic-field generating coil from the magnetic-field generating coils in the magnetic-field generator; and a control unit that controls the magnetic-field-generating-coil switching unit to select the magnetic-field generating coil to be operated among the magnetic-field generating coils in the first magnetic-field generator, based on at least one of a position and a direction of the detected object and based on the predetermined information. | 06-24-2010 |
20100179381 | BODY-INSERTABLE APPARATUS SYSTEM - A body-insertable apparatus system has a body insertable apparatus that is inserted into a subject and a control apparatus. The body-insertable apparatus includes a magnetic responding unit that is provided within a casing forming the body-insertable apparatus and has a magnetization direction; and a needle that is protruded and retracted with respect to a surface of the casing. The control apparatus includes a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field; and a control unit that causes the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field for changing an orientation of the magnetic responding unit based on the magnetization direction of the magnetic responding unit in the body-insertable apparatus, a position of the needle in the body-insertable apparatus, and a distal end direction of the needle, thereby changing an orientation of the entire body-insertable apparatus to enable the protruded needle to puncture a puncture target layer. | 07-15-2010 |
20100198008 | IV-VIVO OBSERVING SYSTEM AND IN-VIVO OBSERVING METHOD - An in-vivo observing system for observing inside of a subject includes an illuminating unit configured to illuminate inside of the subject by illumination light; an imaging unit configured to sequentially capture in-vivo images of the subject illuminated by the illumination light; a direction change unit configured to change an image capturing direction of the imaging unit; and a control unit configured to control the direction change unit to set an angular difference in the imaging capturing direction less than an angle of view of the imaging unit when the imaging unit captures two continuous in-vivo images while causing the direction change unit to change the image capturing direction. | 08-05-2010 |
20100286668 | CAPSULE MEDICAL APPARATUS - A capsule medical apparatus includes a living tissue drawing portion in which a space for drawing the living tissue into a body of the capsule medical apparatus is formed; a movable unit that includes an engaging unit, which can be engaged with the living tissue of the subject, and that moves on a surface of the body of the capsule medical apparatus and in the living tissue drawing portion; an injection needle that has an ejection port for a drug and that protrudes such that the ejection port is positioned in the living tissue drawing portion; and an injection needle driver that drives the injection needle such that the injection needle protrudes. | 11-11-2010 |
20100307517 | MEDICAL DEVICE CONTROL SYSTEM - A medical device control system improves an inducing stability and operability of a medical device having its direction controlled with magnetism, which is used for the inspection or treatment in a subject's body. The control system is formed of a medical device including an insertion member inserted into the subject's body, and a magnetic field response portion disposed within the insertion member for generating torque in response to the magnetic field applied from outside the subject's body, a direction detection unit that detects an insertion direction of the insertion member, a user interface through which the information with respect to the control of the insertion direction is input and output, a magnetic field generation portion that generates a magnetic field that directs the insertion member to a control direction, and a user interface control unit that controls the user interface based on a discordance between the control direction and the insertion direction. | 12-09-2010 |
20110009697 | GUIDING SYSTEM, POSITION CONTROLLING APPARATUS, AND GUIDING METHOD - A guiding system includes a capsule-type apparatus and a position controlling apparatus. The capsule-type apparatus includes a permanent magnet, which is fixed to a capsule-shaped casing, and is introduced into a subject. The position controlling apparatus includes a relative position controlling mechanism that changes a relative position between a predetermined axis and the subject, and a magnetic field generating mechanism that forms, in a space in which the subject is laid, a magnetic field that includes at least one of a component of a trapping magnetic field that attracts the permanent magnet to the predetermined axis and a component of a gradient magnetic field that attracts the permanent magnet in a direction same as or opposite to a direction in which the relative position is changed. | 01-13-2011 |
20110012594 | POSITION DETECTING SYSTEM AND POSITION DETECTING METHOD - A system includes a body-insertable apparatus disposed while introduced in a subject in a detection space, and an external apparatus disposed on the outside of the subject. The body-insertable apparatus includes a first switch for connecting/interrupting a resonance circuit and an oscillation circuit or a ground line. The external apparatus includes a drive coil driving unit for outputting a drive signal having the resonance frequency; a drive coil for generating the drive magnetic field in the detection space in accordance with the drive signal; and a second switch for connecting/interrupting the drive coil driving unit and the drive coil. The second switch connects the drive coil driving unit and the drive coil when the first switch is off, and disconnects them when the first switch is on. The resonance circuit generates the resonance magnetic field in accordance with the induction signal or the drive magnetic field. | 01-20-2011 |
20110046443 | METHOD FOR GUIDING A CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE AND ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM - In a method and system for guiding a capsule endoscope, the capsule endoscope contains a rotation sensor that measures a rotary position of the endoscope capsule about at least one fixed capsule axis. A control unit calculates a rotary position of the endoscope capsule from a mechanical movement model, measures the rotary position of the endoscope capsule by means of the rotation sensor, compares the measured rotary position with a rotary position calculated for an essentially identical point in time, and adapts the mechanical movement model on the basis of the comparison. | 02-24-2011 |
20110196202 | 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. | 08-11-2011 |
20110275893 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A capsule medical device guidance system includes a capsule medical device including an imaging unit that captures an in-vivo image of the subject, a transmitting unit that transmits the captured image to an outside, and a magnetic field response unit; a magnetic field generation unit that generates a magnetic field for the response unit to magnetically guide the capsule medical device; a receiving unit that receives the transmitted in-vivo image; a display unit that displays the received in-vivo image; an operation input unit that inputs operation information for magnetically guiding the capsule medical device; a control unit that controls the magnetic field generation unit to guide the capsule medical device in accordance with the operation information; and a selection unit that selects one combination from among combinations that combine at least two of a liquid surface that is an upper boundary surface between a liquid inside the subject and the outside, a submerged area, and a liquid bottom that is a lower boundary surface between the liquid and the outside as guidance areas into which the capsule medical device is guided. The control unit switches the magnetic field to be generated by the magnetic field generation unit in accordance with the selected guidance area. | 11-10-2011 |
20110282165 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM - A system includes a capsule body having a casing introduced into a subject to perform, in liquid, examination of or treatment on the interior of the subject, the casing containing a permanent magnet, a mass of the casing excluding the magnet being set to be less than a product of a volume of the casing and a density of the liquid; a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic attraction for the magnet to guide the capsule body; and a magnetic field generation device that controls the magnetic field generator to generate the magnetic attraction by setting a maximum value of the generated magnetic attraction vertically upward to the capsule body, to be equal to a maximum value of the generated magnetic attraction vertically downward to the capsule body, and by setting the maximum values to be less than a value obtained by multiplying a mass of the magnet by a gravitational acceleration. | 11-17-2011 |
20110292196 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM - A capsule medical device guidance system including a magnetic field generator that generates either a trapping magnetic field that attracts a magnetic field response unit at any position on a horizontal plane and traps a capsule medical device or a gradient magnetic field that has a substantially uniform magnetic field gradient and forces the magnetic field response unit. When the control unit switches the magnetic field from the trapping magnetic field to the gradient magnetic field, a control unit causes a storage unit to store a generation position on the horizontal plane, and when the control unit switches a magnetic field from the gradient magnetic field to the trapping magnetic field, the control unit causes the magnetic field generator to generate the trapping magnetic field at the position stored in the storage unit. | 12-01-2011 |
20110306830 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION IN MAGNETICALLY GUIDED CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY - A magnetically guided endoscope system has a display system wherein the position of the boundary of the examination region of the magnetic field that is used for capsule endoscope guidance is displayed and/or the position of the peak of the magnetic field used for capsule guidance is displayed. The displayed information can be presented in the form of computer-generated graphics superimposed on a camera image of the patient by a computer, or can be a fixed indicator on the display screen of a display at which a computer causes the camera image of the patient to be displayed at a position that is correctly oriented with respect to the fixed information. | 12-15-2011 |
20120022359 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM - A capsule medical device guidance system includes a capsule medical device including a magnetic field responding unit and introduced into a subject, a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field for the responding unit to guide the device; an operation input unit for inputting operation information for magnetically guiding the device; a storage unit that stores position/posture information about position or posture of the device in an guidance region; an input unit for inputting setting instruction information for setting the position/posture information as a mark indicating a position to which the device is returned in the region, and return instruction information for returning the device to the mark; and a control unit that controls the generator to guide the device based on the operation information, and makes the generator generate the magnetic field to the mark based on the stored position/posture information in response to the return instruction information. | 01-26-2012 |
20120095289 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A system and method for guiding a capsule medical device. The method includes: changing, by a control unit, a gradient distribution of a gradient magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator in a vertical direction, the magnetic field generator generating at least the gradient magnetic field in the vertical direction to guide a capsule medical device that includes a magnetic-field responding unit; detecting, by a position detector, a position of the capsule medical device in the vertical direction based on a gradient distribution of the gradient magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator, a physical parameter of the capsule medical device, and a physical parameter of a liquid when the capsule medical device starts to move; and setting, by the control unit, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator based on the detected position of the capsule medical device in the vertical direction. | 04-19-2012 |
20120095290 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A capsule medical device guidance system includes: a magnetic field generator that applies a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient to the magnetic field response unit and guides the capsule medical device; a first setting unit that sets a magnetic field gradient of a magnetic field for generating a vertical magnetic attracting force which makes a resultant force of a buoyancy of the capsule medical device and a gravity force and the vertical magnetic attracting force of the capsule medical device in the liquid substantially zero as a first magnetic field gradient; an operation input unit to which guidance instruction information for guiding the capsule medical device by a magnetic field and moving the capsule medical device from a first position to a second position is inputted; a second setting unit that obtains a magnetic field gradient of a magnetic field for generating a magnetic attracting force corresponding to the guidance instruction information inputted by the operation input unit and sets the obtained magnetic field gradient of the magnetic field as a second magnetic field gradient; and a control unit that controls the magnetic field generator to continuously apply the magnetic field having the first magnetic field gradient set by the first setting unit and keep the capsule medical device in a static state in the liquid even if any specific operation is not inputted when the guidance instruction information is not inputted by the operation input unit and controls the magnetic field generator to apply a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient obtained by adding the second magnetic field gradient set by the second setting unit to move the capsule medical device from the first position to the second position to a state in which the first magnetic field gradient set by the first setting unit to keep the capsule medical device in a static state in the liquid is continuously applied when the guidance instruction information is inputted by the operation input unit. | 04-19-2012 |
20120116162 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM - A capsule medical device guidance system includes a capsule medical device with a response unit; a generating unit that generates a magnetic field to the response unit, an input unit that inputs operation information to magnetically guide the medical device, a control unit that controls the generating unit to guide the medical device according to the operation information, and a selection unit that selects a contact mode or away mode, for bringing the medical device into contact with a boundary surface in liquid in a subject in the contact mode, the medical device being moved away from the boundary surface in the away mode. The control unit generates the magnetic field in which a total force is oriented toward the boundary surface side, and the control unit controls the generating unit such that the total force is oriented toward a direction other than the direction for the away mode. | 05-10-2012 |
20120226092 | INTRA-SUBJECT MEDICAL SYSTEM, METHOD OF OPERATING BODY-INSERTABLE APPARATUS AND OPERATIVE TREATMENT - Provided is an intra-subject medical system which includes a body-insertable device and a physical quantity generator. The body-insertable device is to be introduced into a subject, is covered by a capsule-shaped exterior member, and includes a physical quantity detecting member which has a directivity to detect a predetermined physical quantity; at least one functional member which has a necessary function for examining or treating inside the subject; and a switch control unit which controls an on/off states or operation mode of the at least one functional member when the physical quantity detecting member detects a physical quantity. The physical quantity generator has a physical quantity emitting unit which emits a temporary physical quantity inside the subject; and a physical quantity direction changing unit which changes an emission direction of the physical quantity. | 09-06-2012 |
20120265015 | BODY-INSERTABLE DEVICE SYSTEM AND IN-VIVO OBSERVATION METHOD - An object of the present invention is to actively control at least one of the position and direction of the imaging field in a subject and to observe a desired observed region in the subject certainly in a short period of time. A body-insertable device system according to the present invention includes a capsule endoscope | 10-18-2012 |
20130006054 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A system for guiding capsule medical device is provided with a capsule medical device, a magnetic guidance device, an operation input unit, a control device, and an image display device. The capsule medical device is includes therein a first and second imaging units that image images in imaging directions different from each other and a permanent magnet. The magnetic guidance device applies a magnetic field to the permanent magnet to magnetically guide the capsule medical device in a subject. The operation input unit receives operation information to operate magnetic guidance of the capsule medical device. The control device controls the magnetic guidance device to magnetically guide the capsule medical device in response to the operation information input through the operation input unit. The image display device displays a first in-vivo image of the subject imaged by the first imaging unit and a second in-vivo image of the subject imaged by the second imaging unit, and clearly shows which of the first and second in-vivo images is an operation target image at the time of the magnetic guidance of the capsule medical device. | 01-03-2013 |
20130041217 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDING SYSTEM AND MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATING DEVICE - A guiding system includes a capsule medical device including a permanent magnet; a magnetic field generating unit to generate a magnetic field to the magnet to guide the capsule, and change a direction of the magnetic field in a three-dimensional space; and a control unit to control the magnetic field generated by the generating unit. Where the capsule is located on a liquid surface, the control unit generates a first magnetic field such that a plane, which is parallel to a vertical axis and in which a magnetic field including a rotating magnetic field where a magnetic field is rotated on the plane is generated, pivots about the vertical axis at a predetermined period and a second magnetic field for generating a magnetic attracting force for moving the magnet vertically downward to submerge the capsule in the liquid, the first and second magnetic fields being applied at a same time. | 02-14-2013 |
20130060101 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE - A capsule casing of a capsule medical device has a chemical sensor inside, used for sensing operation. The chemical sensor has a recovery device which resets the chemical sensor to an initial state thereof so as to use the chemical sensor for the sensing operation a plurality of times or continuously. | 03-07-2013 |
20130184526 | CAPSULE-TYPE MEDICAL APPARATUS, GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND GUIDANCE METHOD THEREFOR, AND INTRASUBJECT INSERTION APPARATUS - Using a guidance system with a simple configuration, propulsive motion along a longitudinal direction and changing of the propulsion direction are easily performed with good precision and stability. There is provided a capsule-type medical apparatus which is inserted into the body of a subject and is guided by an external magnetic field, the capsule-type medical apparatus comprising: a substantially cylindrical capsule; a propulsion mechanism for converting rotary motion about a longitudinal axis R of the capsule into propulsive motion along the longitudinal axis R; a magnet accommodated inside the capsule and disposed in such a manner that the magnetic-pole direction thereof can be switched between a direction along the longitudinal axis R and a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis R; and a securing portion for securing the magnet to the capsule in each of the switched states of the magnetic-pole direction. | 07-18-2013 |
20130281777 | CAPSULE HOUSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SUPPLYING CAPSULE USING THE SAME - The present invention has an object to make it possible for a patient to take in a plurality of ingesta materials accurately and easily in a specific order. A capsule housing apparatus | 10-24-2013 |
20140139306 | MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATION APPARATUS AND CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDING SYSTEM - A magnetic field generation apparatus for generating a guiding-magnetic field which is a magnetic field for magnetically guiding a target object includes a plurality of permanent magnets configured to generate a magnetic field, and a switching unit configured to change relative relationship of the plurality of permanent magnets to switch between a first state in which the plurality of permanent magnets generate the guiding-magnetic field in a predetermined region and a second state in which a strength of the guiding-magnetic field in the predetermined region is less than a strength of the guiding-magnetic field in the first state. | 05-22-2014 |
20140148643 | GUIDING APPARATUS AND CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE GUIDING SYSTEM - A guiding apparatus includes a magnetic field generation unit, a translation mechanism that translates the magnetic field generation unit relative to a subject, a rotation mechanism that rotates the magnetic field generation unit relative to the subject, an input unit that receives first and second information about operations for changing a position a posture of a capsule medical device, respectively and a control unit that controls the translation mechanism and the rotation mechanism on the basis of the first information and the second information such that the magnetic field generation unit is translated and rotated relative to the subject, wherein, when the input unit receives the second information, the control unit corrects a change in the position of the capsule medical device caused by the rotation of the magnetic field generation unit relative to the subject by translating the magnetic field generation unit relative to the subject. | 05-29-2014 |
20140155709 | CAPSULE MEDICAL DEVICE AND MEDICAL SYSTEM - A capsule medical device includes: a power supply unit; a capsule detection magnetic field generation unit configured to generate a capsule detection magnetic field, with which at least one of a position and a posture of the capsule medical device is detected, upon receiving electric power; a state detection unit configured to detect a state of the capsule medical device; a control unit configured to control power supply to the capsule detection magnetic field generation unit; and a magnetic field response unit configured to respond to a guiding-magnetic field for guiding at least one of the position and the posture, wherein the state detection unit includes a guiding-magnetic field detector configured to detect at least one of a strength, a direction, and a gradient of the guiding-magnetic field, and the control unit controls the power supply in accordance with a detection result of the guiding-magnetic field detector. | 06-05-2014 |
20140296634 | BODY-INSERTABLE DEVICE SYSTEM AND IN-VIVO OBSERVATION METHOD - An object of the present invention is to actively control at least one of the position and direction of the imaging field in a subject and to observe a desired observed region in the subject certainly in a short period of time. A body-insertable device system according to the present invention includes a capsule endoscope | 10-02-2014 |
20150065801 | GUIDANCE DEVICE - A guidance device applies a magnetic field to a capsule medical apparatus within which a first permanent magnet is arranged when the capsule medical apparatus is introduced into a subject, to guide the capsule medical apparatus within the subject. The guidance device includes a second permanent magnet that is configured to be disposed outside the subject and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a polygonal column shape, the second permanent magnet having a first plane containing a magnetization direction and a first direction orthogonal to the magnetization direction, and being configured to confine the capsule medical apparatus within a region facing the first plane. The second permanent magnet has a length in the first direction longer than a length in the magnetization direction. | 03-05-2015 |