Robot-assisted prostate brachytherapy.
In contemporary brachytherapy procedures, needle placement at the desired target is challenging due to a variety of reasons. A robot-assisted brachytherapy system can improve the needle placement and seed delivery resulting in enhanced patient care. In this paper we present a 16 DOF (degrees-of-freedom) robotic system (9DOF positioning module and 7 DOF surgery module) developed and fabricated for prostate brachytherapy. Techniques to reduce needle deflection and target movement have been incorporated after verifying with extensive experiments. Provisions for needle motion and force feedback have been included into the system for improving the robot control and seed delivery. Preliminary experimental results reveal that the prototype system is quite accurate (sub-millimeter) in placing brachytherapy needles.
Yu
Yan
Y
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Podder
Tarun
T
Zhang
Yongde
Y
Ng
Wan-Sing
WS
Misic
Vladimir
V
Sherman
Jason
J
Fu
Luke
L
Fuller
Dave
D
Messing
Edward
E
Rubens
Deborah
D
Strang
John
J
Brasacchio
Ralph
R
D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods