SpinoBot: An MRI-Guided Needle Positioning System for Spinal Cellular Therapeutics

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Robotics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options.
• Current treatments for ALS involve cellular therapeutics delivered via spinal injection, which can be invasive.
• Minimally invasive robotic assistance could enhance the precision and efficiency of spinal procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a robotic system (SpinoBot) for MRI-guided percutaneous spinal injections.
• To assess the accuracy, speed, and MRI compatibility of the SpinoBot system.
• To explore the potential of SpinoBot for treating ALS and other spinal conditions.

Main Methods:

• SpinoBot utilizes MRI guidance for needle placement in the spinal cord.
• The system features four degrees of freedom (DOF) via translation stages and rotational axes.
• Bench and swine cadaver tests were conducted to evaluate targeting accuracy.

Main Results:

• SpinoBot achieved mean targeting errors of 1.12 mm (bench) and 2.2 mm (swine cadaver).
• The system demonstrated high precision with low standard deviations in targeting accuracy.
• SpinoBot showed minimal impact (<3% SNR reduction) on 3T MRI quality.

Conclusions:

• SpinoBot offers a precise and efficient robotic solution for MRI-guided spinal injections.
• The system has the potential to reduce procedure time and invasiveness for ALS treatment.
• SpinoBot may be adaptable for various procedures requiring accurate spinal access.