Transperineal Prostate Intervention: Robot for Fully Automated MR Imaging—System Description and Proof of Principle in a Canine Model

Abstract

The study was approved by the animal care and use committee. The purpose of the study was to prospectively establish proof of principle in vivo in canines for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-compatible robotic system designed for image-guided prostatic needle intervention. The entire robot is built with nonmagnetic and dielectric materials and in its current configuration is designed to perform fully automated brachytherapy seed placement within a closed MR imager. With a 3.0-T imager, in four dogs the median error for MR imaging-guided needle positioning and seed positioning was 2.02 mm (range, 0.86-3.18 mm) and 2.50 mm (range, 1.45-10.54 mm), respectively. The robotic system is capable of accurate MR imaging-guided prostatic needle intervention within a standard MR imager in vivo in a canine model.

Improving Accuracy in Image-Guided Prostate Biopsy by Using Trocar-Sharpened Needles

“…In the future, this advantage might be even more relevant when robot-assisted prostate biopsy systems gain entrance into practice. These systems generally rely on straight biopsy trajectories without deviations since the robot itself cannot correct needle shifts due to a beveled needle tip [29,30]. …”

Design considerations for a novel MRI compatible manipulator for prostate cryoablation

“…The manipulator is specifically designed for MRI double-doughnut architecture. Muntener et al [16] proposed a remotely actuated device to perform transperineal biopsy of the prostate-automated brachytherapy seeds placement while the patient is lying in a lateral decubitus position. Fischer et al [17] designed a different robotic system for the same clinical approach with a patient positioned in a semilithotomy position.…”

Robotic Systems: Past, Present, and Future

“…Various needle drivers can be mounted in the robot for performing various needle interventions. The first driver was developed for fully automated low dose (seed) brachytherapy [74][75][76][77] (Fig. 59.3).…”