Overlapping radiofrequency ablation planning and robot‐assisted needle insertion for large liver tumors

BACKGROUND: We aimed at facilitating percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for large tumors with accurate overlapping ablation planning and robot-assisted needle insertion from a single incision port (SIP). METHODS: We developed a personalized and quantitative RFA planning method to obtain multiple needle overlapping ablation planning through a single incision. A robot with a remote center of motion mechanism was designed to perform needle insertions through a SIP according to the planning. RESULTS: Numerical and visual evaluation showed that the planning could yield nearly full coverage over large tumors and greatly reduce both ablation times and the ablations of normal tissues. Ex vivo and in vivo experiments showed that our robot-assisted needle insertion system was capable of conducting the RFA procedure in large liver tumors from a SIP. CONCLUSIONS: Robot-assisted RFA needle insertions from a SIP makes RFA treatment for large tumors more minimally invasive, predictable, and repeatable.