Ultrasound-Led Multimodality Imaging-Guided Robotic Needle Insertion With Respiratory Phase Consistency in Phantom...

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Surgical Navigation
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate needle placement is crucial for minimally invasive procedures.
• Robotic systems offer potential for enhanced precision and control in interventions.
• Ultrasound (US)-guided interventions require high accuracy, especially in dynamic environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the puncture accuracy and feasibility of the TONGMAI robotic system.
• The system utilizes electromagnetic tracking and US-guided multimodality imaging with respiratory compensation.
• Assessment was performed in phantom and animal models.

Main Methods:

• Experienced and inexperienced physicians performed needle insertions using TONGMAI, freehand, or needle-guide assistance.
• Experiments included static and respiratory phantoms, rabbit liver, and miniature pig liver models.
• The primary outcome was real-time US-based puncture accuracy (US-Error).

Main Results:

• Experienced physicians showed no significant difference in US-Error across methods.
• TONGMAI significantly reduced US-Error for inexperienced physicians compared to freehand or needle-guide methods in phantom and animal models.
• No procedure-related complications occurred during exploratory non-hepatic punctures.

Conclusions:

• TONGMAI supports consistent puncture performance in experienced physicians.
• The robotic system enhances accuracy for inexperienced physicians in various conditions.
• Results support further development of US-led robotic workflows for deformable targets.