TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, and particularly relates to an imaging device and an imaging method for supporting diagnoses of disease sites.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, in the field of dermatology, dermoscopy has played an important role in the diagnosis of pigmented skin diseases. Dermoscopy is an examination method in which the structure and distribution of color of the epidermis and the superficial dermis layer is observed. A dermoscope is a non-invasive examination instrument whereby a lesion is magnified about 10-times and is observed in a state in which the lesion is brightly illuminated by a halogen lamp or the like, and the reflection at the skin surface is suppressed by an echo gel, a polarization filter, or the like. Observation methods in which a dermoscope is used are referred to as dermoscopy examinations. In dermoscopy examinations, diffused reflection caused by keratin is reduced and, as such, it is possible to satisfactorily observe pigment distribution from within the epidermis down to the superficial dermis layer (for example, see Patent Literature 1).

However, with the invention described in Patent Literature 1, there is a problem in that imaging operations must be performed twice in two states, namely a state in which an attachment is not attached to the camera, and a state in which the attachment is attached to the camera. Note that, in the foregoing, background art related to skin diseases such as pigmentary skin diseases are described, but the present disclosure is not limited to dermoscopy cameras for skin diseases and can be applied to cases of imaging disease sites caused by more common diseases.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2015-152601

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present disclosure is made with the view of the above situation, and an objective of the present disclosure is to provide an imaging device whereby a plurality of images in which a disease site can be easily observed can be obtained by a simple operation, and an imaging method using the imaging device.

Solution to Problem

One aspect of the present disclosure that achieves the objective described above is:

an imaging device that images a disease site as a subject, the imaging device including:

a camera body;

a light unit that is provided in the camera body and that includes a first light source and a second light source that have mutually different characteristics; and

a filter unit that includes at least one independent filter, and that is capable of positioning the filter on an optical axis of the camera body and retracting the filter from the optical axis of the camera body; wherein

continuous imaging is performed by the camera body imaging, the subject, in a state in which the subject is illuminated with light from the first light source by the light unit and, via a first mode, the filter is positioned by the filter unit on the optical axis of the camera body or retracted by the filter unit from the optical axis of the camera body and, thereafter, by the camera body imaging, the subject, in a state in which the subject is illuminated with light from the second light source by the light unit and, via a second mode that differs from the first mode, the filter is positioned by the filter unit on the optical axis of the camera body or retracted by the filter unit from the optical axis of the camera body.

The other features of the present disclosure are elucidated by the recitations of the present description and the illustrations of the attached drawings.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure, a plurality of images in which a disease site can be easily observed can be obtained by simple operations.

