Robot-assisted Ultrasound-guided Tracking of Anatomical Structures for the Application of Focused Ultrasound

Abstract High intensity focused ultrasound is used as a surgical tool to treat completely non-invasively several diseases. Examples of clinical applications are uterine fibroids, prostate cancer, thyroid nodules, and varicose veins. Precise targeting is key for improving the treatment outcome. A method for an automated, robot-assisted tracking system was developed and evaluated. A wireless ultrasound scanner was used to acquire images of the target, in this case, a blood vessel. The active contour approach by Chan and Vese was used to segment and track while moving the scanner along the target structure with a collaborative robotic arm. The performance was assessed using a custom made Agar phantom. The mean tracking error, which is defined as the remaining distance of the lesion to the images’ centre line, was 0.27 mm ± 0.18 mm.