MRI Distortion Correction and Robot-to-MRI Scanner Registration for an MRI-Guided Robotic System.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided robotic procedures require safe robotic instrument navigation and precise target localization. This depends on reliable tracking of the instrument from MR images, which requires accurate registration of the robot to the scanner. A novel differential image based robot-to-MRI scanner registration approach is proposed that utilizes a set of active fiducial coils, where background subtraction method is employed for coil detection.

Differential Image Based Robot to MRI Scanner Registration with Active Fiducial Markers for an MRI-Guided Robotic Catheter System.

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided robotic catheter ablation procedures, reliable tracking of the catheter within the MRI scanner is needed to safely navigate the catheter. This requires accurate registration of the catheter to the scanner. This paper presents a differential, multi-slice image-based registration approach utilizing active fiducial coils.

Analysis of Contact Stability and Contact Safety of a Robotic Intravascular Cardiac Catheter under Blood Flow Disturbances.

This paper studies the contact stability and contact safety of a robotic intravascular cardiac catheter under blood flow disturbances while in contact with tissue surface. A probabilistic blood flow disturbance model, where the blood flow drag forces on the catheter body are approximated using a quasi-static model, is introduced. Using this blood flow disturbance model, probabilistic contact stability and contact safety metrics, employing a sample based representation of the blood flow velocity distribution, are proposed.

Analysis of Dynamic Response of an MRI-Guided Magnetically-Actuated Steerable Catheter System.

This paper presents a free-space open-loop dynamic response analysis for an MRI-guided magnetically-actuated steerable intra-vascular catheter system. The catheter tip is embedded with a set of current carrying micro-coils. The catheter is directly actuated via the magnetic torques generated on these coils by the magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.

Jacobian-Based Task-Space Motion Planning for MRI-Actuated Continuum Robots.

Robot-assisted medical interventions, such as robotic catheter ablation, often require the robot to perform tasks on a tissue surface. This paper presents a task-space motion planning method that generates actuation trajectories which steer the end- effector of the MRI-actuated robot along desired trajectories on the surface. The continuum robot is modeled using the pseudo-rigid-body model, where the continuum body of the robot is approximated by rigid links joined by flexible joints.

Iterative Jacobian-Based Inverse Kinematics and Open-Loop Control of an MRI-Guided Magnetically Actuated Steerable Catheter System.

This paper presents an iterative Jacobian-based inverse kinematics method for an MRI-guided magnetically-actuated steerable intravascular catheter system. The catheter is directly actuated by magnetic torques generated on a set of current-carrying micro-coils embedded on the catheter tip, by the magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The Jacobian matrix relating changes of the currents through the coils to changes of the tip position is derived using a three dimensional kinematic model of the catheter deflection.

Design of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guided Magnetically Actuated Steerable Catheter.

This paper presents design optimization of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) actuated steerable catheter for atrial fibrillation ablation in the left atrium. The catheter prototype, built over polymer tubing, is embedded with current-carrying electromagnetic coils. The prototype can be deflected to a desired location by controlling the currents passing through the coils.

Modeling and Validation of the Three-Dimensional Deflection of an MRI-Compatible Magnetically Actuated Steerable Catheter.

Objective: This paper presents the 3-D kinematic modeling of a novel steerable robotic ablation catheter system. The catheter, embedded with a set of current-carrying microcoils, is actuated by the magnetic forces generated by the magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.

Methods: This paper develops a 3-D model of the MRI-actuated steerable catheter system by using finite differences approach.