Comparison of Two Electromagnetic Navigation Systems For CT-Guided Punctures: A Phantom Study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Interventional Radiology
• Navigation Systems

Background:

• Electromagnetic navigation systems offer potential advantages for CT-guided percutaneous procedures.
• Accurate needle placement is crucial for the efficacy and safety of these interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the targeting accuracy and reliability of two electromagnetic navigation systems (Medtronic Stealth Station AxiEM and Philips PercuNav) for manually guided punctures in a phantom model.
• To evaluate the impact of CT slice thickness on puncture accuracy.

Main Methods:

• 480 navigated stereotactic needle insertions were performed manually using two electromagnetic navigation systems in a CT-scanned phantom.
• CT data sets were acquired at 1mm, 3mm, and 5mm slice thicknesses.
• Target positioning error was measured by comparing planned and actual needle trajectories.

Main Results:

• Both systems demonstrated excellent puncture accuracy in the phantom.
• The Medtronic Stealth Station AxiEM showed higher accuracy compared to the Philips PercuNav at a 3mm slice thickness.
• Euclidean distances and lateral positional errors were recorded for each system and slice thickness.

Conclusions:

• Both electromagnetic navigation systems are highly accurate for CT-guided punctures in a phantom setting.
• The Medtronic Stealth Station AxiEM demonstrated superior accuracy at 3mm slice thickness.
• Potential benefits include the absence of visual contact, but interference with metal objects and patient movement (in clinical settings) are considerations.