A device for robot-assisted minimally-invasive lung brachytherapy

Abstract

A device for robot-assisted brachytherapy has been designed for use with a minimally-invasive surgical robot such as the ZEUStrade It may be loaded with a standard brachytherapy needle allowing the robot to position its tip at a specified location within cancerous tissue. The device accurately retracts a hollow needle loaded with radioactive seeds while a stationary plunger pushes the seeds out into the tissue. The position error when retracting the needle is less than 0.05 mm. The use of this device, together with image-guidance for needle placement, can improve radiation dose delivery when treating certain types of lung cancer. The incorporation of this device into robotic systems that are already approved for clinical use can potentially allow it to be commercialized much sooner than competitive technology