Abstract: A system of robotic surgery includes components capable of drilling a bore in the cranium of a patient in connection with craniotomy and other cranial surgeries. A perforator associated with such system is controlled by suitable computer-implemented instructions to maintain the perforator tip along a desired trajectory line while moving the perforator bit at locations proximal to such perforator tip in a circular motion, thereby imparting a conical oscillation to the perforator bit relative to the trajectory line. The angle at which the perforator bit is oscillated relative to such trajectory line results in the bore formed in the cranium having a diameter larger than the bit diameter, and the larger diameter and related conical oscillation is selected so as to reduce frictional force opposing withdrawal of the bit from the situs of the bore, thereby reducing the risk of jamming of the bit during its associated operations.

Abstract: Embodiments consistent with the present disclosure allow the ring, arc, and linear offset values for a stereotactic frame to be determined for a cranial procedure without requiring a CT scan to be acquired with the fiducial frame attached. Having the ring, arc, and offset values available for a cranial procedure allows the surgeon to revert to traditional stereotactic ring-arc frame guidance as a fallback strategy in case a robot cannot be used. This disclosure also provides an alternate method for registering a ring-arc system to the medical image volume for facilities having no CT scanner or scanner with limited field of view such that the intended fiducial localizer cannot be used.

Abstract: A surgical robot system includes a surgical robot, a robot arm connected to such surgical robot, and an end-effector connected to the robot arm. A registration fixture is used in conjunction with various registration systems in the surgical robot system. Such registration systems likewise include a detachable base in the form of a detachable dynamic reference base, along with an associated mount, the dynamic reference base and mount having certain features which permit the dynamic reference base to be selectively attached, detached, and reattached at different phases of an operation, whether pre-operative or intra-operative, and such successive attachments are done without the dynamic reference base, and tracking markers associated therewith, losing registration. Related methods allow for the more efficient and effective performance of operations by virtue of the dynamic reference base maintaining its registration during attachments and reattachments.

Abstract: A position is determined for each fiducial marker of a plurality of fiducial markers in an image volume. Based on the determined positions, a position and orientation of the registration fixture with respect to the anatomical feature is determined. A position is determined for each tracked marker of a first plurality of tracked markers on the registration fixture and a second plurality of tracked markers on the robot arm in a tracking data frame. Based on the determined positions of tracked markers, a position and orientation of the registration fixture and the robot arm of a surgical robot with respect to the tracking space are determined.

Abstract: A system for robotic surgery makes use of an end-effector which has been configured so that a drill connected thereto is guided in its trajectory and limited in its advancement into an associated anatomical feature by a drill guide. The drill guide may be adjusted manually to engage a corresponding surface of the drill after its advancement by a pre-selected amount. The drill guide likewise includes features to guide the drill during trajectories having oblique angles relative to the surface of the anatomical feature associated with the medical procedure.

Abstract: A system for robotic surgery makes use of an end-effector which has been configured so that any selected one of a group of surgical tools may be selectively connected to such end-effector. The end-effector makes use of a tool-insert locking mechanism which secures a selected one of the surgical tools at not only a respective, predetermined height and angle of orientation, but also at a rotational position relative to an anatomical feature of the patient. The tool-insert locking mechanism may include interchangeable inserts to interconnect multiple tools to the same end-effector. In this way, different robotic operations may be accomplished with less reconfiguration of the end-effector. The end-effector may also include a tool stop which has a sensor associated with a moveable stop mechanism which may be positioned to selectively inhibit tool insertion or end-effector movement.

Abstract: An improved system and computer product for robotic brain surgery in which brain deformation during surgery caused by tools or pressure changes is tracked, allowing for improved accuracy in targeting structures for robotic surgical procedures.

Abstract: Devices, Systems, and Methods for determining a trajectory of a biopsy needle using a surgical robot. A surgical robotic may be configured to plan a trajectory and move to a location along the planned trajectory. The surgical robot may be configured to receive the biopsy needle and hold its position along the trajectory while the biopsy needle is used to aspirate a tissue sample from a patient.

Abstract: A drill guide fixture may be configured to prepare a skull for attachment of a cranial insertion fixture. The drill guide fixture may include a central drill guide and a bone anchor guide at a base of the drill guide fixture. The central drill guide may define a central drill guide hole therethrough, wherein the central drill guide hole has a first opening at a base of the drill guide fixture and a second opening spaced apart from the base of the drill guide fixture. The bone anchor drill guide may define a bone anchor drill guide hole therethrough, and the bone anchor drill guide hole may be offset from the central drill guide hole in a direction that is perpendicular with respect to a direction of the central drill guide hole. Related cranial insertion fixtures, robotic systems, and methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A method includes free hand rotating or translating a first transducer array by rotating or translating the probe (102) about or along a longitudinal axis (206) of the probe through a plurality of angles or linear displacements in a cavity, moving a first imaging plane through an extent of a structure of interest. The method further includes transmitting signals and receiving echoes with the first transducer array concurrently with the rotating or the translating, and generating two-dimensional images of the structure of interest with the received echo for the plurality of the angles or the linear displacements. The method further includes identifying the plurality of the angles or the linear displacements based on the generated images and secondary information, aligning the two-dimensional images based on the identified plurality of the angles or the linear displacements, and combining the aligned two-dimensional images to construct a three-dimensional volume of the structure of interest.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a 3-D volume of anatomy including at least the structure of interest. The method further includes acquiring, with an array of an ultrasound probe, a real-time 2-D ultrasound image of the structure of interest in a cavity parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ultrasound probe. The method further includes calculating a metric from a 2-D plane extracted from the 3D volume and the real-time 2-D ultrasound sagittal image. The metric identifies a plane, from sagittal planes of the 3D volume, and a position within the plane, that best fits the real-time 2-D ultrasound sagittal image. The method further includes identifying a current location of the ultrasound probe with respect to the anatomy based on the identified position.

Abstract: A method includes registering a region of interest in 3-D imaging data with an initial ultrasound image so that the region of interest is in an imaging plane of the initial ultrasound image. The method further includes acquiring a subsequent ultrasound image with a transducer array. The method further includes comparing the initial ultrasound image and the subsequent ultrasound image. The method further includes steering at least one of the transducer array or an instrument based on a result of the comparing so that at least one of the region of interest or the instrument is in the imaging plane.

Abstract: In some aspects, the disclosure is directed methods and systems for establishing a wideband radar system for imaging. A receiver of a radar imaging system may receive a set of phase measurements for each of a plurality of frequency bands, each of the plurality of frequency bands established by up-converting or down-converting a base frequency band. A phase adjuster of the radar imaging system may identify, from each region of overlap between consecutive frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands, a phase difference between corresponding sets of the phase measurements. The phase adjuster may adjust one or more sets of the phase measurements based on the identified phase differences to generate an image across the plurality of frequency bands.