Pneumatically operated MRI-compatible needle placement robot for prostate interventions

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has potential to be a superior medical imaging modality for guiding and monitoring prostatic interventions. The strong magnetic field prevents the use of conventional mechatronics and the confined physical space makes it extremely challenging to access the patient. We have designed a robotic assistant system that overcomes these difficulties and promises safe and reliable intra-prostatic needle placement inside closed high-field MRI scanners. The robot performs needle insertion under real-time 3T MR image guidance; workspace requirements, MR compatibility, and workflow have been evaluated on phantoms. The paper explains the robot mechanism and controller design and presents results of preliminary evaluation of the system.

[1]  W. Kaiser,et al.  ROBITOM- ROBOT FOR BIOPSY AND THERAPY OF THE MAMMA , 2002 .

[2]  Ivan Bricault,et al.  CT and MR Compatible Light Puncture Robot: Architectural Design and First Experiments , 2004, MICCAI.

[3]  Eigil Samset,et al.  Dynamic MRI Scan Plane Control for Passive Tracking of Instruments and Devices , 2007, MICCAI.

[4]  H Iseki,et al.  Development of an MRI-compatible needle insertion manipulator for stereotactic neurosurgery. , 1995, Journal of image guided surgery.

[5]  C. N. Coleman,et al.  System for prostate brachytherapy and biopsy in a standard 1.5 T MRI scanner , 2004, Magnetic resonance in medicine.

[6]  A. D'Amico,et al.  Transperineal magnetic resonance image guided prostate biopsy. , 2000, The Journal of urology.

[7]  A. Jemal,et al.  Cancer Statistics, 2007 , 2007, CA: a cancer journal for clinicians.

[8]  S. Zangos,et al.  MR-guided transgluteal biopsies with an open low-field system in patients with clinically suspected prostate cancer: technique and preliminary results , 2004, European Radiology.

[9]  M. Terris,et al.  Comparison of mid-lobe versus lateral systematic sextant biopsies in the detection of prostate cancer. , 1997, Urologia internationalis.

[10]  N. Dubrawsky.  Cancer statistics , 1989, CA: a cancer journal for clinicians.

[11]  D. Beyersdorff,et al.  MR imaging-guided prostate biopsy with a closed MR unit at 1.5 T: initial results. , 2005, Radiology.

[12]  Ian Young,et al.  The Feasibility of MR-Image Guided Prostate Biopsy Using Piezoceramic Motors Inside or Near to the Magnet Isocentre , 2006, MICCAI.

[13]  Gabor Fichtinger,et al.  Robotic Assistant for Transperineal Prostate Interventions in 3T Closed MRI , 2007, MICCAI.

[14]  Gabor Fichtinger,et al.  Design of a novel MRI compatible manipulator for image guided prostate interventions , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[15]  D. Stoianovici,et al.  Magnetic resonance imaging compatible robotic system for fully automated brachytherapy seed placement. , 2006, Urology.

[16]  J. Blasko,et al.  Brachytherapy for carcinoma of the prostate: techniques, patient selection, and clinical outcomes. , 2002, Seminars in radiation oncology.

[17]  Nobuhiko Hata,et al.  MR Compatible Surgical Assist Robot: System Integration and Preliminary Feasibility Study , 2000, MICCAI.

[18]  M. Bock,et al.  An MRI-Compatible Surgical Robot for Precise Radiological Interventions , 2003, Computer aided surgery : official journal of the International Society for Computer Aided Surgery.

[19]  R. Gassert,et al.  MRI/fMRI-compatible robotic system with force feedback for interaction with human motion , 2006, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.