Remotely Actuated Needle Driving Device for MRI-Guided Percutaneous Interventions: Force and Accuracy Evaluation^.

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Robotics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Minimally invasive procedures like pain injections require precise instrument navigation.
• Traditional methods for MRI-guided interventions face challenges with instrument manipulation and MRI-related artifacts.
• Remote actuation offers a solution to improve control and reduce interference within the MRI environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a 2 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) remotely actuated needle driving device for MRI-guided pain injections.
• To assess the device's performance, including accuracy and force/torque characteristics, under real-time MRI guidance.
• To minimize MRI artifacts and enhance clinician control during needle insertion.

Main Methods:

• A novel beaded chain transmission system was employed for remote actuation of the needle driver.
• The device was integrated with a 4-DOF base robot and evaluated in phantom studies under real-time MRI guidance.
• Force and torque measurements were conducted in static and dynamic configurations.
• Accuracy was assessed using real-time image feedback in an MRI environment.

Main Results:

• The remotely actuated needle driver demonstrated precise targeting with a mean error of less than 1.5 mm in phantom studies.
• The beaded chain transmission effectively reduced the size and weight of the needle driver at the patient end.
• The remote actuation mechanism significantly minimized MRI artifacts caused by motors.
• Clinician control was achieved both manually and via a software interface.

Conclusions:

• The developed 2-DOF remotely actuated needle driving device is suitable for MRI-guided pain injections.
• The novel remote actuation system enhances precision, safety, and usability in the MRI environment.
• This technology has the potential to improve the efficacy and accessibility of image-guided interventions.