OncoROBOT – robotic system for the treatment of lung cancer

Abstract

Nowadays, robotic systems are becoming an important part of our lives, and medicine is no exception. Since lung cancer is in the first place in the number of deaths from cancer, doctors do not stop looking for new ways of treating it. To reduce the number of relapses after surgical removal of the tumor, it was proposed to use the method of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). To make it possible, the surgeon have to be equipped with a convenient device that he can use directly in the operating room after surgical resection. IORT after surgical removal of a tumor using a low-voltage x-ray source is a relatively new method used in the treatment of lung cancer. This article discusses a robotic system for performing IORT and the method of its use. Currently, there is a working prototype of this system and we are still improving it. The paper presents the main technical characteristics of the robot manipulator and the working tool, namely the x-ray tube mounted on the manipulator. Moreover, the software and its architecture are described, as well as a method for managing the manipulation system. A comparison of our development with foreign ones is also performed.