3D Image Reconstruction Using Force-Controlled Robot-Assisted Ultrasound Scanning

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Ultrasound (US) imaging is crucial for noninvasive anatomical and tissue assessment.
• Accurate probe positioning and pressure are vital for high-quality US images.
• Robot-assisted systems offer potential for improved US imaging and 3D reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate a collaborative robot with an ultrasound system for enhanced image acquisition and 3D volume reconstruction.
• To evaluate the accuracy of force-controlled US image acquisition and 3D reconstruction.
• To lay the groundwork for 3D reconstruction of shear wave elastography (SWE) images for tissue modeling.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a collaborative robot with an ultrasound system.
• Acquisition of force-controlled ultrasound images.
• 3D reconstruction of ultrasound volumes using DICOM standard for image extraction and pose data embedding.
• Exploration of shear wave elastography (SWE) principles.

Main Results:

• High accuracy achieved in force-controlled ultrasound image acquisition.
• Precise 3D reconstruction of ultrasound images, closely matching real-world measurements.
• Successful utilization of DICOM standard for image extraction and pose data embedding in robot-assisted 3D reconstruction.

Conclusions:

• Robot-assisted ultrasound imaging significantly improves accuracy and facilitates 3D reconstruction.
• The DICOM standard aids in robot-assisted 3D reconstruction performance.
• This work provides a foundation for advanced 3D SWE imaging for improved prosthetic fitting and diagnostics.