Advanced Imaging and Robotics Technologies for Medical Applications

Figures & data

Figure 1 Medical images; (a) US for liver phantom, (b) CT for ear, and (c) MRI for abdomen (color figure available online).

Figure 2 Intra-operative MRI and surgical bed installed in the operating room (color figure available online).

Figure 3 DTI image for brain surgery; nerve fibers are displayed (color figure available online).

Figure 4 The surgical navigation; (a) configuration of image guidance for surgery, (b) display of surgical navigation for ear surgery (color figure available online).

Figure 5 Tool tracking system; (a) optical system vs. (b) electromagnetic system (color figure available online).

Figure 6 Fiducial markers for registration; (a) skin markers, (b) template, and (c) anatomical landmarks on the temporal bone (color figure available online).

Table 1. Advantages and drawbacks of registration methods

	Advantages	Drawbacks
Skin markers	Easy to locate markers Attachable to the place of preference	Additional CT/MR scan for marker required Affected by skin deformation Patient must keep the markers until surgery
AnatomicalLandmarks	No requirement of fiducial markersAnd additional CT/MR scans	Difficulty of accurate indication Insufficient number of available landmarks
Template-Based	Easy to locate markers Hardly affected by tissue deformation	Additional CT/MR scan for marker required Insufficient positional repeatability Possible hindrance to the surgery
Image-less	No requirement of CT/MR scan No burden to patient	Low accuracy for unusual anatomy Anatomical landmarks required

Figure 7 The display methods for image guided surgery; (a) multi-planar, (b) 3-D graphic, (c) augmented reality mode (color figure available online).

Figure 8 The first MRI compatible needle insertion robot (color figure available online).

Figure 9 Master-slave surgical robot: daVinci (daVinci 2011) (color figure available online).

Figure 10 Forceps robot for endoscopic fetus surgery; small diameter, 2DOF, rigid forceps robot with LASER fiber (color figure available online).

Figure 11 Flexible-rigid changeable endoscope guide for NOTES/SPS surgery (color figure available online).

Figure 12 The concept of endoscope robot using two wedge prisms: By rotating two wedge prisms, arbitrary view is obtained without moving the endoscope itself (color figure available online).