Tags:Aiming device, Guidance, Percutaneous ablation, Stereotactic and Virtual Reality
Abstract:
The success of percutaneous focal tumour ablation largely depends on precise needle placement and complete tumour coverage by the ablation zone. Many types of needle guidance devices exist to facilitate precise needle placement. Some examples of these devices include those rigidly attached to the Ultrasound (US) probe, enforcing the “in-plane” insertion while limiting the entry angles of the needle and US probe placement. Other types are the mechanical and robotic (i.e., with electronic characteristics) guiders potentially restricting the movement of the healthcare providers due to their position in the operating room and large size. We present a proof-of-concept of a 3D Slicer module developed as a Virtual Reality (VR) platform for surgical navigation based on streaming US images and a disposable mini-stereotactic frame. The patient-attached “mini” aiming device provides mechanical support for precise needle guidance without interfering with the movement of healthcare providers. The pose of this stereotactic needle guider is magnetically tracked and calibrated, allowing the surgeon to visualize the potential needle trajectory and ablation zone in a 3D VR environment prior to needle insertion. The accuracy of the system was assessed by performing two analyses: a rotational and a translational error, yielding preliminary results of (mean ± SD): rotational (2.19 ± 0.16°) and translational (2.76 ± 1.11 mm). The results, though preliminary, suggest that the combination of the path projection and ablation zone display can assist in the accurate placement of the active tip while ensuring complete tumour coverage.
Percutaneous Focal Tumour Ablation Assisted by Mini-Stereotactic Frame: Proof-of-Concept