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CT-guided, minimally invasive, postmortem needle biopsy using the B-Rob II needle-positioning robot
Rosa M Martinez1, Wolfgang Ptacek, Wolf Schweitzer
1University of Zurich, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|December 10, 2013
Summary
This study evaluated the B-Rob II robotic system for CT-guided needle biopsies. The robot demonstrated sufficient accuracy and speed for forensic postmortem examinations, achieving 1.8mm accuracy in phantom tests.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Robotics in Medicine
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Minimally invasive needle biopsy under CT guidance is crucial for forensic tissue diagnosis.
- Robotic assistance offers potential improvements in accuracy and efficiency for these procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of the CT-guided needle-positioning robot, B-Rob II.
- To assess the accuracy and speed of robotic needle placement for forensic applications.
Main Methods:
- The B-Rob II robotic needle placement system was operated under CT guidance.
- Accuracy and speed were tested using 21 biopsies on a gelatin phantom.
Main Results:
- The B-Rob II achieved an average needle placement accuracy of 1.8 mm (±1.1 mm).
- The average procedure time was 2 minutes and 21 seconds.
Conclusions:
- The B-Rob II biopsy robot is accurate and fast enough for forensic postmortem examinations of focal organ changes.
- Further studies are needed to assess its feasibility in human bodies.
