Abstract
Purpose
Flexible needle has the potential to accurately navigate to a treatment region in the least invasive manner. We propose a new planning method using Markov decision processes (MDPs) for flexible needle navigation that can perform robust path planning and steering under the circumstance of complex tissue–needle interactions.
Methods
This method enhances the robustness of flexible needle steering from three different perspectives. First, the method considers the problem caused by soft tissue deformation. The method then resolves the common needle penetration failure caused by patterns of targets, while the last solution addresses the uncertainty issues in flexible needle motion due to complex and unpredictable tissue–needle interaction.
Results
Computer simulation and phantom experimental results show that the proposed method can perform robust planning and generate a secure control policy for flexible needle steering. Compared with a traditional method using MDPs, the proposed method achieves higher accuracy and probability of success in avoiding obstacles under complicated and uncertain tissue–needle interactions. Future work will involve experiment with biological tissue in vivo.
Conclusion
The proposed robust path planning method can securely steer flexible needle within soft phantom tissues and achieve high adaptability in computer simulation.
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Funding
The research and development of the prototype image-guide radio-frequency ablation surgical system was supported in parts by research grants from Singapore Agency of Science and Technology (A*Star) and Ministry of Education, Singapore, respectively.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Tan, X., Yu, P., Lim, KB. et al. Robust path planning for flexible needle insertion using Markov decision processes. Int J CARS 13, 1439–1451 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-018-1783-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-018-1783-x