Development of an MRI-Guided Intra-Prostatic Needle Placement System

摘要

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an ideal interventional guidance modality: it provides near real-time high-resolution images at arbitrary orientations and is able to monitor therapeutic agents, surgical tools, biomechanical tissue properties, and physiological function. MRI poses formidable engineering challenges by severely limited access to the patient and high magnetic field that prevents the use of conventional materials and electronic equipment. The objective is to make conventional diagnostic closed high-field MRI scanners available for guiding prostatic needle placement interventions using a robotic assistant. In Year 2 we defined system workflow and developed an integrated hardware and software system consists of a navigation software, a robot middleware interface, a piezoelectric motor controller and a 6 degree of freedom (DOF) needle placement robot with integrated fiberoptic force sensing. We have validated the system workflow, MRI compatibility and needle steering capability with real-time MRI guidance.