Importance

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Abstract

An endoscope 10 comprises an insert portion 30 having outer tubing 35, a light guide 31, an image guide 32 and an objective optical member 33. Peripheral side surfaces of these components 31,32,33,35 adjacent to each other are bonded together by an adhesive 36 at a distal end portion of the insert portion 30. The adhesive 36 contains fine particles 36b comprising a roentgenopaque material such as Pt or Au. The adhesive 36 fills among optical fibers 31a inside the light guide 31, thereby roentgenopaque property is conferred not only among the above-mentioned components 31,32,33,35 at the distal end of the insert portion 30 but also on the inside of the light guide 31. This enables the distal end of the endoscope 10 to be traced with X-rays without enhancing the diameter of the insert portion 30. Therefore, the endoscope 10 can easily be inserted into human small vessels such as blood vessels.

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First Claim