A New Hydraulically/Pneumatically Actuated MR-Compatible Robot for MRI-Guided Neurosurgery

Abstract

In this paper the design of a novel modular hydraulic/pneumatic actuated tele-robotic system and a new infrastructure for MRI-guided intervention for closed-bore MRI- guided neurosurgery are presented. Candidate neurosurgical procedures enabled by this system would include thermal ablation, radiofrequency ablation, deep brain stimulators, and targeted drug delivery. The major focus is the application of the designed MR-compatible robotic system to MRI-guided brain biopsy. Navigation and operating modules were designed to undertake the alignment and advancement of the surgical needle respectively. The mechanical design and control paradigm are reported.