Ultrasound guided robotic biopsy of the prostate

In this paper, a prototype of a robotic system for accurate and consistent insertion of a percutaneous biopsy needle into the prostate is presented. A transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe is used to collect a series of two-dimensional (2D) images of the prostate. These images are used to create a 3D computer model of the organ which is used by the urologist to define the biopsy points within the prostate. The robotic system then calculates the required trajectory of the needle, which can be simulated on the computer. Following this, the robot is configured accordingly and the actual biopsy is performed. Cadaveric and human trials have validated the robot's needle placement error to be less than 2.5 mm. Our future work includes the integration of a cancer predictive modality into the system to increase the cancer detection rate. The robotic system could also be modified to accurately place foreign bodies into the prostate, which could improve therapeutic procedures such as Brachytherapy.