Patient mounted MRI and CT compatible robot for needle guidance in interventional procedures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326825-B2
Application number	US-201414307125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A patient mountable robot includes a four link mechanism, three actuators, and a first robot base. The mechanism includes four links that form a closed loop structure. The four links include a base link that includes a spherical joint. The mechanism provides two rotational degrees of freedom about the spherical joint for a needle that is configured to pass through the spherical joint. A first actuator is attached to the mechanism and moves the mechanism to provide the first of the two rotational degrees of freedom. A second actuator is attached to the mechanism and moves the mechanism to provide the second of the two rotational degrees of freedom. The base link of the mechanism passes through the first robot base. A third actuator is attached to the first robot base and linearly translates the base link so that a translational degree of freedom is provided for the needle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A patient mountable robot, comprising:
a four link mechanism including four links that form a closed loop structure, the four links including a base link that includes a spherical joint, and the four link mechanism provides two rotational degrees of freedom about the spherical joint for a needle that is configured to pass through the spherical joint;
a first actuator attached to the four link mechanism that moves the four link mechanism to provide the first of the two rotational degrees of freedom;
a second actuator attached to the four link mechanism that moves the four link mechanism to provide the second of the two rotational degrees of freedom;
a first robot base through which the base link of the four link mechanism passes; and
a third actuator attached to the first robot base that linearly translates the base link so that a translational degree of freedom is provided for the needle that is configured to pass through the spherical joint wherein the patient mountable robot is configured to be mounted on a patient and to provide a guided intervention while the patient is inside an imaging scanner.

2. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein the four link mechanism is a four link parallel mechanism.

3. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second robot base, and
the first robot base is rotatable relative to the second robot base so that a third rotational degree of freedom is provided for the needle that is configured to pass through the spherical joint.

4. The patient mountable robot according to claim 3 , wherein the second robot base includes one or more adjustable legs each configured to be attached to a patient's body.

5. The patient mountable robot according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more adjustable legs each include an adhesive pad.

6. The patient mountable robot according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more adjustable legs each include a lock to lock a position of a respective adjustable leg.

7. The patient mountable robot according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a fourth actuator attached to the first robot base that rotates the first robot base relative to the second robot base.

8. The patient mountable robot according to claim 7 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth actuators each include a piezo motor.

9. The patient mountable robot according to claim 7 , wherein the first robot base and the second robot base each include a curved contour, and at least one of the first robot base and the second robot base includes a guide so that the first robot base is movable along the guide with respect to the second robot base.

10. The patient mountable robot according to claim 9 , wherein an inner surface of the second robot surface includes a gear track and the fourth actuator includes a gear that is movable along the gear track to rotate the first robot base relative to the second robot base.

11. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein the third actuator includes a belt positioned between pulleys, so that actuation of the third actuator rotates the belt around the pulleys and moves a structure of the base link that is engaged with the belt to linearly translate the base link.

12. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein the four links include a link that is a guide for the needle, and the link that is a guide for the needle is attached to the base link through the spherical joint.

13. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein the four links include a link that is attached to the base link through two revolute joints.

14. The patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein the patient mountable robot is compatible with at least one of imaging modalities including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, and ultrasound imaging, so that the patient mountable robot leaves no artifact or distortion in an image of a target workspace taken with the at least one of the imaging modalities.

15. A system, comprising:
the imaging scanner; and
the patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the patient mountable robot is configured to be mounted on the patient while the patient is inside a bore of the imaging scanner.

16. A sterilizable patient mountable robot, comprising:
the patient mountable robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the patient mountable robot includes a disposable part of the patient mountable robot and a sheet draped over a part of the patient mountable robot other than the disposable part.

Assignees

• Childrens Nat Medical Ct

Inventors

• Cleary Kevin
• Monfaredi Reza
• Sze Raymond
• Sharma Karun
• Safdar Nabile
• Seifabadi Reza

Classifications

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2017/3407

  including a base for support on the body · CPC title

• A61B2090/3762

  using computed tomography systems [CT] · CPC title

• A61M5/427 Primary

  Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates · CPC title

• A61M5/46

  having means for controlling depth of insertion · CPC title