[Brachytherapy needle steering using intra-tissue real-time ultrasound 3d visualization]

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Robotics
• Oncology

Background:

• Brachytherapy requires precise needle placement for effective tumor treatment.
• Current methods may lack real-time 3D visualization and robotic assistance.
• Developing advanced navigation systems is crucial for improving brachytherapy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel software system for 3D ultrasound-guided robotic brachytherapy needle steering.
• To assess the system's capability in a pelvic tissue phantom model.
• To validate real-time tumor modeling and needle tracking during simulated procedures.

Main Methods:

• A six-axis robotic arm equipped with a needle-driving device was utilized.
• A pelvic tissue phantom with a simulated tumor and a biplane ultrasound transducer were employed.
• Developed software controlled the robotic arm for automated needle insertion and real-time ultrasound-based position tracking.

Main Results:

• The software successfully enabled 3D ultrasound imaging and guided brachytherapy needle insertion in the phantom.
• The system provided real-time tracking of the needle's position within the phantom.
• The software demonstrated the ability to correct the 3D tumor model based on live ultrasound data, accounting for tissue changes.

Conclusions:

• The model experiment confirmed the feasibility of the 3D tumor modeling and real-time needle tracking system for robotic brachytherapy.
• Further software enhancements for image processing and automated trajectory correction are planned.
• Successful preclinical studies are anticipated to lead to clinical trials for this robotic-assisted brachytherapy approach.