MRI Guided Surgical Robot

Abstract

The advantages of surgical robots and manipulators are well recognised in the clinical and technical community. Precision, accuracy and the potential for telesurgery are the prime motivations in applying advanced robot technology in surgery. In this paper a magnetic resonance compatible surgical assist robot design and construction are described. The robot is designed to position and direct an axisymmetric tool, such as a laser pointer or a biopsy catheter. The main mechanical body is located above the head of a surgeon with two rigid arms extending to the workspace. This configuration contributed to a small occupancy in the workspace and good MR compatibility. The robot is not affected by the presence of strong magnetic fields and is able to manoeuvre during imaging without compromising the quality of images.