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Design and Testing of a Robotic System for mr Image-guided Interventions

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Abstract

The effective integration of robotics together with magnetic resonance (mr) technology is expected to facilitate the real-time guidance of various diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Specially designed robotic manipulators are required for this purpose, the development of which is a challenging task given the strong magnetic fields and the space limitations that characterize the mr scanning environment. A prototype mr-compatible manipulator is presented, designed to operate inside cylindrical mr scanners. It was developed for the study of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the abdominal and thoracic area with real-time mr image guidance. Initial tests were performed inside a high-field clinical mr scanner and included mr-compatibility tests and phantom studies on image-guided targeting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Imaging Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University, CB 1127, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    Eftychios G. Christoforou

  2. Cardiovascular Imaging Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, CB 8225, 4525 Scott Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Nikolaos V. Tsekos

  3. Biomedical MR Laboratory, Washington University, CB 8227, 4525 Scott Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Alpay Özcan

Authors
  1. Eftychios G. Christoforou
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  2. Nikolaos V. Tsekos
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  3. Alpay Özcan
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Correspondence to Eftychios G. Christoforou.

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Christoforou, E.G., Tsekos, N.V. & Özcan, A. Design and Testing of a Robotic System for mr Image-guided Interventions. J Intell Robot Syst 47, 175–196 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-006-9082-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-006-9082-0

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