Accuracy of instrument tip position using fiber optic shape sensing for navigated bronchoscopy

Area of Science:

• Medical instrumentation
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Bronchoscopy requires precise instrument tip localization for procedures like biopsies.
• Existing shape-sensing technologies face challenges in accuracy within complex anatomical structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of a fiber optic shape-sensing (FOSS) method for estimating the tip position of an instrument inserted via a bronchoscope.
• To determine the impact of displacement and curvature on estimation accuracy.

Main Methods:

• A modified guidewire with a multicore optical fiber was integrated into a catheter with electromagnetic (EM) sensors.
• A point-based matching method correlated EM sensor positions with shape data.
• Accuracy was tested in a realistic bronchial model, measuring absolute deviation at the guidewire tip.

Main Results:

• Median deviation in estimated tip position was ≤5 mm for small displacements between the FOSS tool and catheter.
• Deviations exceeded 10 mm for larger displacements and increased with sharp curvatures.
• The method demonstrated clinical relevance for limited curvatures and displacements.

Conclusions:

• The FOSS-based tip position estimation method shows promise for bronchoscopic interventions.
• Accuracy is dependent on the degree of displacement and anatomical curvature.
• Further configuration improvements are needed before clinical application.