A Robotic System for Real-time Tumor Manipulation During Image guided Breast Biopsy

Abstract

Breast biopsy guided by imaging techniques such as ultrasound is widely used to evaluate suspicious masses within the breast. Currently, ultrasound imaging does not allow live guidance during breast biopsy. The current procedure allows the physician to determine the location and extent of a tumor in the patient breast before inserting the needle. However, there are several problems with this procedure: the complex interaction dynamics between the needle force and the breast tissue will likely displace the tumor from its original position necessitating multiple insertions, causing surgeons' fatigue, and compromising the structural integrity of the tissue specimen. In this work, we present a new concept for real-time manipulation of a tumor using a robotic force controller that monitors the image of the tumor to generate appropriate force to position the tumor at a desired location. The idea here is to demonstrate that it is possible to manipulate a tumor in real-time by applying controlled external force in an automated way such that the tumor does not deviate from the path of the needle. A laboratory experiment has been presented on a phantom that demonstrates the essence of this concept. The success of this approach has the potential to reduce the number of attempts a surgeon makes to capture the desired tissue specimen, minimize tissue damage, improve speed of biopsy, and reduce patient discomfort.

MRI-guided robot-assisted lumpectomy for surgical management of early breast cancer: Preliminary investigation and use case analysis

“…Online control strategies for optimal steering of flexible interstitial probe/needles have concurrently been developed with the ultimate goal of opening up a curvilinear space of interstitial surgical access [10][11][12][13]. This body of recent investigations provides a platform of enabling technologies for achieving percutaneous, minimally invasive lumpectomy under realtime image-guidance and robotic assistance.…”

Breast intervention surgery robot under image navigation: A review

“…Huang et al 71 developed a robotic system for breast biopsy and treatment. Mallapragada et al 19,76–80 proposed an ultrasound-guided robot system and developed the novel sensorless contact detection technology and the hybrid control method. The robot system can control the tumor position in real time.…”

A Technique for Detection and Analysis of Human Breast Cancer

“…Mallapragada et al, October 2007, presented [4,5] a new concept for real-time manipulation of a tumor using a robotic force controller that monitored the image of the tumor to generate appropriate force to position the tumor at a desired location. The idea behind concept was possible to manipulate a tumor in real-time by applying controlled external force in an automated way.…”