Kirsten R. Henken

Papers

Total Citations

170

H-Index

About

Kirsten R. Henken is a leading researcher in the field of medical robotics and interventional instrumentation, with a primary focus on enhancing the precision of percutaneous therapies. Her work centers on the development and validation of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for real-time needle tracking, a critical component for robotic needle steering in procedures such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumors. Henken’s major contributions include pioneering error analyses that quantify the accuracy of FBG-based shape sensors, demonstrating their viability for providing high-update-rate spatial information on needle tip position—a key challenge in compensating for needle deflection during insertion. Her most-cited paper, "Error Analysis of FBG-Based Shape Sensors for Medical Needle Tracking" (2013), has garnered 91 citations, while her foundational study, "Accuracy of needle position measurements using fiber Bragg gratings" (2012), has been cited 79 times. Together, these works have established benchmarks for sensor accuracy and reliability, directly impacting the design of robotic navigation systems. Henken’s research bridges the gap between optical sensing technology and clinical application, offering a pathway to improved targeting accuracy in minimally invasive interventions, and her findings continue to inform both engineering design and clinical practice.