Steering an actuated-tip needle in biological tissue: Fusing FBG-sensor data and ultrasound images

Abstract

Abstract-Needle insertion procedures are commonly performed in current clinical practice for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Although prevailing technology allows accurate localization of lesions, they cannot yet be precisely targeted. Needle steering is a promising technique to overcome this challenge. In this paper, we describe the development of a novel steering system for an actuated-tip flexible needle. Strain measurements from an array of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors are used for online reconstruction of the needle shape in 3D-space. FBG-sensor data is then fused with ultrasound images obtained from a clinically-approved Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS) using an unscented Kalman filter. A new ultrasound-based tracking algorithm is developed for the robust tracking of the needle in biological tissue. Two experimental cases are presented to evaluate the proposed steering system. In the first case, the needle shape is reconstructed using the tracked tip position in ultrasound images and FBGsensor measurements, separately. The reconstructed shape is then compared with the actual 3D needle shape obtained from the ABVS. In the second case, two steering experiments are performed to evaluate the overall system by fusing the FBGsensor data and ultrasound images. Average targeting errors are 1.29±0.41 mm and 1.42±0.72 mm in gelatin phantom and biological tissue, respectively.

3D Shape Estimation Of Tendon-Driven Catheters Using Ultrasound Imaging

“…Finally, next only to bevel-tip needles, continuum/concentric tube robots (e.g., cardiac catheters [13], [41], [70], [72] and flexible actuated tip needle [63]) are the most common minimally invasive surgical instruments considered in the literature for US-guided surgical robotic platforms. Cardiac catheters (e.g.…”

“…In this case, the cardiac catheter is a concentric tube robot comprised of three telescoping curved sections inserted into the jugular vein and navigated to the right atrium of the heart [41]. Another type of concentric tube robot is the flexible actuated tip needle used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes such as biopsy and ablation [63]. These active needles can change their shape either at the tip (consisted of a conical tip mounted on a ball joint) or along the entire length (consisted of four tendons routed through the shaft of the needle and attached to the conical tip) and can be steered in any direction [63].…”

Flexible Needle Steering in Moving Biological Tissue With Motion Compensation Using Ultrasound and Force Feedback

“…The effective value of the trajectory curvature can be reduced for bevel-tipped needles using the duty cycling control method [5], [6]. Special tips have also been designed, such as an actuated tip that allows a control of both force orientation and magnitude without rotation of the needle shaft [7]. Lateral base manipulation and duty cycling control were also used together alternatively depending on the alignment of the needle with the target [8].…”

“…There has been a lot of developments on US needle tracking in needle steering domain. Researchers used 2D [13]- [15] and 3D [16]- [19] US to track the needle. There has also been several studies where US images were used for target tracking purposes.…”

“…A 3D ultrasound probe 4 with reference frame {F U S } is used to track an artificial target in the phantom 5 . Motion is applied to the phantom using a second robot arm 6 and motion compensation is performed using a force sensor 7 with the reference frame {F F S }. Frame {F 0 } is the global reference frame.…”