IEEE ICRA 2012 Needle Steering Workshop

Target Manipulation instead of Needle Steering - a New Paradigm

Nilanjan Sarkar1, Vishnu Mallapragada and Tarun Podder

1 Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN

Abstract

During needle insertion, the complex needle-tissue interaction and large tissue deformation may cause the target to move away from the line of insertion of the needle. This may necessitate multiple insertions at the same biopsy site to successfully sample the target tissue. As a solution to this problem, steerable devices and needles are being developed that allow the clinician to steer the tip of the needle toward the target during insertion. In this work, however, we take a diametrically opposite approach to this problem, i.e., instead of steering the needle toward the target during insertion, we guide the target toward the line of insertion of the needle. Our approach is to design an external robotic system that will be able to position the target in-line with the needle during insertion. In this seminar, we present this new concept for real-time manipulation of a tumor using a robotic controller that monitors the image of the tumor to generate appropriate external 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. To demonstrate the efficacy of this paradigm, a novel robot-assisted breast intervention device is developed (Fig. 1). The robot-assisted breast intervention system presented here is designed for ultrasound (US) guided percutaneous breast biopsy. The specific subsystems of this device are: a Robotic Manipulation Mechanism and a US Imaging System. These two subsystems are then integrated for a semi-automated modality of breast interventions. This device will potentially enhance clinical efficacy of image guided breast interventions.

Fig. 1. Phantom suspended vertically from the top. Image shows robotic fingers, US probe and needle in contact with the phantom for a needle insertion.

Related Publications

  • Mallapragada, V., Sarkar, N., and Podder, T. “Robot Assisted Real-time Tumor Manipulation for Breast Biopsy,” in IEEE Transactions on Robotics, Vol. 25, Issue 2, pp. 316-324, 2009.

  • Mallapragada, V., Sarkar, N. and Podder, T., “Towards a Robot Assisted Breast Intervention System,” in IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 1011-1020, 2011.

  • “System, Method and Device for Positioning a Target Located Within Soft Tissue In a Path of an Instrument,” Patent No. US 8,066,644: Date of Issue: Nov. 29, 2011. Inventors: Nilanjan Sarkar, Tarun Podder and Vishnu Mallapragada.

     

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