Cost-effective 3D documentation device in forensic medicine.

3D documentation in forensics and forensic medicine is being introduced more frequently in various institutes around the world. However, several institutes lack capacity in finances as well as staff to perform 3D documentations regularly. This technical paper aims to present a 3D documentation device that is low cost and easy to use and is a viable entry level solution for forensic medical departments.

Simultaneous T -weighted real-time MRI of two orthogonal slices.

Purpose: MR guidance is used during therapy to detect and compensate for lesion motion. T -weighted MRI often has a superior lesion contrast in comparison to T -weighted real-time imaging. The purpose of this work was to design a fast T -weighted sequence capable of simultaneously acquiring two orthogonal slices, enabling real-time tracking of lesions.

Technical note: Semiautomated targeted postmortem computed tomography angiography of the pulmonary arteries using a robotic system.

Introduction: To better depict vascular lesions on postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), whole-body postmortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) can be used in forensic diagnostics. Targeted angiography, in which only a specific vessel is filled with contrast agent, might help in cases of traumatic changes that render whole-body PMCTA impossible. Moreover, in targeted PMCTA, the contrast agent does not affect the haptics of any other organs.

Development of a miniaturized robotic guidance device for stereotactic neurosurgery.

Objective: Consistently high accuracy and a straightforward use of stereotactic guidance systems are crucial for precise stereotactic targeting and a short procedural duration. Although robotic guidance systems are widely used, currently available systems do not fully meet the requirements for a stereotactic guidance system that combines the advantages of frameless surgery and robotic technology. The authors developed and optimized a small-scale yet highly accurate guidance system that can be seamlessly integrated into an existing operating room (OR) setup due to its design.

Frameless Stereotactic Brain Biopsies: Comparison of Minimally Invasive Robot-Guided and Manual Arm-Based Technique.

Background: Most brain biopsies are still performed with the aid of a navigation-guided mechanical arm. Due to the manual trajectory alignment without rigid skull contact, frameless aiming devices are prone to considerably lower accuracy.

Objective: To compare a novel minimally invasive robot-guided biopsy technique with rigid skull fixation to a standard frameless manual arm biopsy procedure.

VirtoScan-on-Rails - an automated 3D imaging system for fast post-mortem whole-body surface documentation at autopsy tables.

Two-dimensional photographic documentation is a substantial part of post-mortem examinations for legal investigations. Additional three-dimensional surface documentation has been shown to assist in the visualization of findings and contribute to the reconstruction of the sequence of events. However, 2D photo documentation and, especially, 3D surface documentation, are time-consuming procedures that require specially trained personnel.

A novel robot-guided minimally invasive technique for brain tumor biopsies.

Objective: As decisions regarding tumor diagnosis and subsequent treatment are increasingly based on molecular pathology, the frequency of brain biopsies is increasing. Robotic devices overcome limitations of frame-based and frameless techniques in terms of accuracy and usability. The aim of the present study was to present a novel, minimally invasive, robot-guided biopsy technique and compare the results with those of standard burr hole biopsy.

Automatic entry point planning for robotic post-mortem CT-based needle placement.

Introduction: Post-mortem computed tomography guided placement of co-axial introducer needles allows for the extraction of tissue and liquid samples for histological and toxicological analyses. Automation of this process can increase the accuracy and speed of the needle placement, thereby making it more feasible for routine examinations. To speed up the planning process and increase safety, we developed an algorithm that calculates an optimal entry point and end-effector orientation for a given target point, while taking constraints such as accessibility or bone collisions into account.

Virtobot 2.0: the future of automated surface documentation and CT-guided needle placement in forensic medicine.

In this paper we present the second prototype of a robotic system to be used in forensic medicine. The system is capable of performing automated surface documentation using photogrammetry, optical surface scanning and image-guided, post-mortem needle placement for tissue sampling, liquid sampling, or the placement of guide wires. The upgraded system includes workflow optimizations, an automatic tool-change mechanism, a new software module for trajectory planning and a fully automatic computed tomography-data-set registration algorithm.

CT-guided, minimally invasive, postmortem needle biopsy using the B-Rob II needle-positioning robot.

CT-guided, minimally invasive needle biopsy techniques can be used to retrieve tissue or body fluid samples for histologic tissue diagnoses in forensic investigations. The purpose of this study was an evaluation of CT-guided needle-positioning robot B-Rob II. To operate under CT guidance, we adopted the B-Rob II robotic needle placement system and its workflow.

Virtobot--a multi-functional robotic system for 3D surface scanning and automatic post mortem biopsy.

Background: The Virtopsy project, a multi-disciplinary project that involves forensic science, diagnostic imaging, computer science, automation technology, telematics and biomechanics, aims to develop new techniques to improve the outcome of forensic investigations. This paper presents a new approach in the field of minimally invasive virtual autopsy for a versatile robotic system that is able to perform three-dimensional (3D) surface scans as well as post mortem image-guided soft tissue biopsies.

Methods: The system consists of an industrial six-axis robot with additional extensions (i.

Robot-assisted biopsy using computed tomography-guidance: initial results from in vitro tests.

Purpose: We sought to develop a robotic system for computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy to validate the feasibility, accuracy, and efficacy of the system using phantom tests.

Materials And Methods: Ten peas (mean diameter 9.9+/-0.