title: Modeling of path planning and needle steering with path tracking in anatomical soft tissues for minimally invasive surgery.
abstract: Steerable needles can potentially improve the effectiveness of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, such as biopsy and cancer treatment, by increasing the targeting accuracy and reaching previously inaccessible targets. A discrete potential field algorithm based on three dimensional (3D) anatomical structures is proposed in this paper to plan the needle path in minimally invasive surgery. A 3D kinematic model of needle steering is formulated using Lie group theory. Model parameters are fitted using experimental data acquired via a 2-degree of freedom robotic device and an ultrasound imaging device. To execute the paths with variable curvatures, the model is incorporated with duty cycled spinning. Empirical formula between needle curvature and duty cycled factor is obtained through insertion experiments. To improve the targeting accuracy, a path tracking algorithm is developed by correcting for the heading error and cross-track error of the needle tip. The targeting error of the simulation is 0.29 mm. We experimentally evaluate the path tracking model and it achieves an average targeting error of 1.15 ± 0.56 mm in 3D environments with anatomical obstacles. The results of simulation are in agreement with steering experiments, showing that the discrete potential field algorithm and path tracking model have the potential to improve targeting accuracy and advance the therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Mechanisms and Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Mechanisms and Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China. Electronic address: shanjmri@tju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Mechanisms and Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Mechanisms and Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Kimmel Cancer Center, 111 South 11th Street, Philadelphia PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Huanhu West Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300060, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000715:Anatomy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009339:Needles; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Duty-cycled spinning; Minimally invasive surgery; Needle steering; Path planning; Path tracking; Soft tissue; Steerable needle