Enhanced Guidance for Endovascular Robotics

Increasing interest surrounds the use of robotic and computer technologies for precise endovascular interventions. However, a limitation in current robotic procedures is the reliance on 2D fluoroscopy for surgical navigation and lack of haptic guidance. In addressing this, we present an improved guidance framework for CathBot, our MR-compatible endovascular robot. This includes visual guidance through fluoroscopy and MRI, along with vision-based haptic guidance. The framework enables real-time acquisition and processing of fluoroscopy and MRI images, integrated into the robotic platform's control architecture for enhanced guidance. Assessment experiments show the potential of this approach, also marking a crucial step towards MR-guided robot-assisted interventions, aiming to reduce ionizing radiation exposure, enabling functional imaging and enhance the overall intervention workflow.