1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope system and a low visibility determining method that performs image pickup using image pickup means of an endoscope and determines low visibility.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, endoscopes provided with image pickup means are widely used for an observation and diagnosis or the like of diseased tissues. Furthermore, endoscopes are also widely used when conducting a surgical operation using a high-frequency treatment instrument making up a high-frequency electrocoagulation apparatus under observation with an endoscope.
Under observation with an endoscope, for example, a diseased tissue is subjected to a treatment such as electrocoagulation by capturing a treatment portion in the vicinity of a distal end portion of a high-frequency treatment instrument within an image pickup region of the image pickup means. Smoke or mist may be generated when conducting a treatment on the tissue.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-318909 as a first related art discloses a system provided with smoke detecting means for detecting smoke from an image obtained by image pickup means when conducting a treatment on high-frequency electrocoagulation using a high-frequency electrocoagulation apparatus under observation with a rigid endoscope for controlling pneumoperitoneal means to remove smoke.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-159738 as a second related art discloses an endoscope system provided with determining means for determining whether a treatment section at a distal end portion of a treatment instrument is located in a first region set inside an image pickup region of image pickup means or a second region set around the first region from the image picked up by the image pickup means.
Furthermore, this second related art also discloses that a region where a treatment section is located is announced based on the determination result by the determining means and, when the treatment section is located in the second region, the treatment section is controlled so as to move to the first region.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds