Image fusion and navigation platforms for percutaneous image-guided interventions.

Area of Science:

• Interventional Oncology
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Navigation

Background:

• Image-guided interventions are crucial for oncology patient care, especially for biopsies and ablations.
• Targeting small, difficult, or inconspicuous tumors presents significant challenges in interventional oncology.
• Accurate tumor profiling and response assessment necessitate precise biopsy techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review image fusion and navigation technologies for image-guided interventional procedures.
• To highlight the application of these tools in overcoming challenges in biopsy and ablation targeting.
• To assess the potential benefits of these advanced navigation platforms.

Main Methods:

• Review of image fusion technologies enabling multimodality data display (US, CT, MRI, PET/CT).
• Examination of navigational technologies including electromagnetic tracking, robotic, cone beam CT, optical, and laser guidance.
• Analysis of pre-clinical and clinical studies on the use of these platforms in interventional procedures.

Main Results:

• Navigation tools, including image fusion and device tracking, enhance targeting accuracy for challenging biopsy and ablation sites.
• These technologies facilitate multimodality image fusion for real-time guidance.
• Studies indicate potential for reduced procedure risk, time, and radiation exposure for patients and operators.

Conclusions:

• Image fusion and navigation platforms offer significant potential for complex image-guided interventions in oncology.
• These technologies can improve the safety and efficiency of targeting difficult tumor sites.
• Advanced navigation plays a valuable role in advancing interventional oncology practice.