title: Image-guided robotic surgery:  update on research and potential applications in urologic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  New methods of imaging and image-guidance technology have the potential to provide surgeons with spatially accurate three-dimensional information about the location and anatomical relationships of critical subsurface structures and instrument position updated and displayed during the performance of surgery. Robotic platforms and technology in various forms continues to revolutionize surgery and will soon incorporate image guidance.
  Image-guided surgery (IGS) for abdominal and urologic interventions presents complex engineering and surgical challenges along with potential benefits to surgeons and patients. Key concepts such as registration, localization, accuracy, and targeting error are necessary for surgeons to understand and utilize the potential of IGS. Standard robotic surgeries, such as partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy may soon incorporate IGS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research continues to explore the potential for combining image guidance and robotics to augment and improve a variety of surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urologic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. duke.herrell@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: S Duke
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Herrell
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: Li-Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques; D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D001706:Biopsy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011468:Prostatectomy; D012371:Robotics; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D013714:Tennessee; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*