Medical Robotics

The first generation of surgical robots are already being installed in a number of operating rooms around the world. Robotics is being introduced to medicine because it allows for unprecedented control and precision of surgical instruments in minimally invasive procedures. So far, robots have been used to position an endoscope, perform gallbladder surgery and correct gastroesophogeal reflux and heartburn. The ultimate goal of the robotic surgery field is to design a robot that can be used to perform closed-chest, beating-heart surgery. The use of robotics in surgery will expand over the next decades without any doubt. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is a revolutionary approach in surgery. In MIS, the operation is performed with instruments and viewing equipment inserted into the body through small incisions created by the surgeon, in contrast to open surgery with large incisions. This minimizes surgical trauma and damage to healthy tissue, resulting in shorter patient recovery time. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of the state-of-art, to present new ideas, original results and practical experiences in this expanding area. Nevertheless, many chapters in the book concern advanced research on this growing area. The book provides critical analysis of clinical trials, assessment of the benefits and risks of the application of these technologies. This book is certainly a small sample of the research activity on Medical Robotics going on around the globe as you read it, but it surely covers a good deal of what has been done in the field recently, and as such it works as a valuable source for researchers interested in the involved subjects, whether they are currently “medical roboticists” or not

Robotic Ultrasound Imaging: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives

Ultrasound (US) is one of the most widely used modalities for clinical intervention and diagnosis due to the merits of providing non-invasive, radiation-free, and real-time images. However, free-hand US examinations are highly operator-dependent. Robotic US System (RUSS) aims at overcoming this shortcoming by offering reproducibility, while also aiming at improving dexterity, and intelligent anatomy and disease-aware imaging. In addition to enhancing diagnostic outcomes, RUSS also holds the potential to provide medical interventions for populations suffering from the shortage of experienced sonographers. In this paper, we categorize RUSS as teleoperated or autonomous. Regarding teleoperated RUSS, we summarize their technical developments, and clinical evaluations, respectively. This survey then focuses on the review of recent work on autonomous robotic US imaging. We demonstrate that machine learning and artificial intelligence present the key techniques, which enable intelligent patient and process-specific, motion and deformation-aware robotic image acquisition. We also show that the research on artificial intelligence for autonomous RUSS has directed the research community toward understanding and modeling expert sonographers' semantic reasoning and action. Here, we call this process, the recovery of the "language of sonography". This side result of research on autonomous robotic US acquisitions could be considered as valuable and essential as the progress made in the robotic US examination itself. This article will provide both engineers and clinicians with a comprehensive understanding of RUSS by surveying underlying techniques.Comment: Accepted by Medical Image Analysi

Looking at the unborn: historical aspects of obstetric ultrasound

The obstetric ultrasound scanner had its major origins in a programme of research undertaken in Glasgow in the 1950s and 1960s, under the leadership of the obstetrician, Professor Ian Donald. Donald’s work was characterized by a remarkable series of collaborations between engineers and clinicians, many of whom took part in this Witness Seminar to consider the early history of ultrasound imaging, its technical development and significant clinical applications in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. Technical and engineering developments of the scanner were discussed and it was practical demonstrations of the early scanners that gradually convinced the majority of obstetricians to invest time and training in this new technology. Participants include: Mr Usama Abdulla, Mr Thomas Brown, Professor Dugald Cameron, Professor Stuart Campbell, Mr John Fleming, Professor John MacVicar, Professor Peter Wells and Dr James Willocks. Introduction by E M Tansey, v, 80pp. 15 illustrations, glossary, subject and name index

Looking at the Unborn: Historical aspects of obstetric ultrasound

Edited trascript of a Witness Seminar held at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine,in London, on 10 March 1998. First published by the Wellcome Trust, 2000. ©The Trustee of the Wellcome Trust, London, 2000. All volumes are freely available online at: www.history.qmul.ac.uk/research/modbiomed/wellcome_witnesses/Annotated and edited transcript of a Witness Seminar held on 10 March 1998. Introduction by E M Tansey.Annotated and edited transcript of a Witness Seminar held on 10 March 1998. Introduction by E M Tansey.Annotated and edited transcript of a Witness Seminar held on 10 March 1998. Introduction by E M Tansey.Annotated and edited transcript of a Witness Seminar held on 10 March 1998. Introduction by E M Tansey.The obstetric ultrasound scanner had its major origins in a programme of research undertaken in Glasgow in the 1950s and 1960s, under the leadership of the obstetrician, Professor Ian Donald. Donald’s work was characterized by a remarkable series of collaborations between engineers and clinicians, many of whom took part in this Witness Seminar to consider the early history of ultrasound imaging, its technical development and significant clinical applications in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. Technical and engineering developments of the scanner were discussed and it was practical demonstrations of the early scanners that gradually convinced the majority of obstetricians to invest time and training in this new technology. Participants include: Mr Usama Abdulla, Mr Thomas Brown, Professor Dugald Cameron, Professor Stuart Campbell, Mr John Fleming, Professor John MacVicar, Professor Peter Wells and Dr James Willocks. Tansey E M, Christie D A. (eds) (2000) Looking at the unborn: Historical aspects of obstetric ultrasound, Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine, vol. 5. London: The Wellcome Trust.The Wellcome Trust is a registered charity, no. 210183

Design of a minimally invasive single port HDR brachytherapy applicator for the treatment of lung cancer

Cancer has become the number one cause of death in Canada and lung cancer is its deadliest form. Surgical resection remains as the treatment of choice for most patients; however, in many cases a less aggressive alternative such as brachytherapy may be preferable. Today, HDR brachytherapy is a relatively common procedure but with current techniques and equipment only tumours close to the main bronchi can be reached. This project describes the design, development and validation of a first prototype of an ultrasound-guided needle guidance system that would enable physicians to perform HDR brachytherapy for the treatment of lung cancer in a minimally invasive manner through the intercostal spaces. The development of the mechanical components is thoroughly described followed by the description of the electronic control system that was developed for this novel mechatronic medical tool. Finally through validation experiments, the approach was shown to be an accurate and viable approach for precisely reaching desired targets with a wide yet flexible needle