Session: 06-10-01: Robotics, Rehabilitation

Paper Number: 144241

144241 - Design of an Mri-Guided Flexible Needle Intervention Robotic System 

This paper presents the design of an image-guided intervention robot system that is capable of operating within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for the purpose of performing intervention procedures such as biopsy, marker seed or drug capsule delivery, and tumor ablation, etc. The robotic system incorporates an MRI compatible robot with a flexible needle device that overcomes the limitation of MRI scanner, it can be used for abdominal, thoracic, and other organ’s minimally invasive surgery. The robot has not only a compact and modular design, but also can be reconfigurable or simplify based on specific surgery requirements or organ’s location. The robot would allow image scanning and needle penetration to be synchronously performed in real time, and meanwhile the patient does not need to be moved in and out of the scanner for imaging and needle placement during the surgery.

The robot is built by using non-magnetic materials. It has three-modules, i.e. a gantry module, a positioning module, and an insertion module. The gantry module, which is used to install and support other two modules, can automatically move in parallel to the MRI scan bed, or can be fixedly mounted on the MRI scan bed. The positioning module is attached to the gantry module via the slide roller assembly, it is used to precisely orient and position the insertion module about two perpendicular directions (X-axis and Z-axis) coincident at the entry point, thus allowing a pivoting motion about that point. The insertion module is attached to the positioning module, it provides a controllable insertion motion of the needle that passes through the entry point. The insertion module is a three-degrees-of-freedom device with a flexible needle insertion mechanism and a flexible needle bending mechanism. The needle insertion mechanism is designed to drive and manage the insertion/retraction of the flexible hollow needle and pusher, and the needle bending mechanism is used to bend the needle and control the needle tip’s orientation.

The design also proposes a comprehensive shielding, grounding, and filtering method for the piezoelectric ultrasonic motors (ultrasonic motor). The robot is driven by ultrasonic motors with compact design and accurate positioning under MRI environment. In order to reduce the interference and radiofrequency (RF) noise generated by robot’s electronic components effectively, the robot system’s layout such as control cabinet and workstation are placed inside the control room, while the robot equipped with ultrasonic motors is placed inside the scan room. Power and signal (control and communication) cables of ultrasonic motors and sensors are double shielded, then connected to the robot control cabinet through low-pass filters and dedicated ground of the isolation wall, which separates the scan room and control room. The proposed comprehensive method for the piezoelectric motor actuation system is integrated with the robot system, allowing the robot and MR scanning to operate simultaneously.

Based on doctors' surgical practices and the utilization of real-time MRI imaging, this design develops a new surgery workflow. The work flow starts with navigation planning at the entry point, insertion depth, path and angle in reference to 3D view to avoid critical veins and tissues during insertion, thus makes the penetration safe.

The prototype is in process of development, optimization and testing.

Presenting Author: Jun Lin ArgoLinx Robotics Inc.

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Jun Lin has served as Robotics Technical Director of ArgoLinx Robotics Inc. since April 2021. He is a very seasoned expert in mechanical engineering with over 20 years’ experience in the development of robotics and automation systems. Jun has published 34 articles and co-invented over 20 US, Canada, and PTC patents in robotics area. He has been leading and heavily involved in the development of numerous robotic products and projects for customers such as SickKids (The Hospital for Sick Children), Canada Space Agency, RCMP, etc.

Authors:

Juzhong Zhang Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jun Lin ArgoLinx Robotics Inc.