Papers
28
Total Citations
1,564
H-Index
19
About
Doru Petrisor is a pioneering roboticist whose work has fundamentally reshaped interventional MRI, making it possible to perform precise, image-guided procedures inside the most restrictive medical imaging environment. His primary research areas include MR-safe robotic design, pneumatic actuation, and image-guided needle interventions, with a specific focus on prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Petrisor’s most celebrated contribution is the development of the PneuStep motor—a novel pneumatic step motor that enables fully actuated, electricity-free robotic motion within the MRI bore. This breakthrough directly led to the creation of MrBot, the world’s first MR-safe robot for prostate biopsy, which earned FDA clearance and successfully completed clinical trials. His work has garnered exceptional impact, with his top-cited papers accumulating over 200, 199, and 117 citations respectively, and his 2007 paper on the PneuStep motor alone has been cited 209 times. Beyond prostate interventions, Petrisor has advanced automatic brachytherapy seed placement and multi-imager compatible needle-guide robots, consistently demonstrating that pneumatic actuation and optical sensing can overcome the formidable challenges of MR compatibility. His research stands as a model of translational engineering—from concept to clinical reality—and continues to inspire new generations of medical robotics researchers.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A New Type of Motor: Pneumatic Step Motor209 citations · 2007
- 2“MRI Stealth” robot for prostate interventions199 citations · 2007
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- 4MRI-Safe Robot for Endorectal Prostate Biopsy114 citations · 2013
- 5Automatic Brachytherapy Seed Placement Under MRI Guidance108 citations · 2007
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- 8Multi-Imager Compatible, MR Safe, Remote Center of Motion Needle-Guide Robot87 citations · 2017
- 9Does needle rotation improve lesion targeting?65 citations · 2011
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