Patent Description:
The inventions of the present disclosure more particularly relate to an integration of a robotic instrument guide with an acoustic probe for an enhanced acoustic guidance of a robotically controlled interventional device.

In ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle biopsies, targeting challenging lesions may be time consuming. Tight time constrains may be predominately critical to puncture lesions that are either located deeply in the organ or close to the critical anatomical structures, or both. Such lesions may involve out-of-plane, oblique needle trajectories thus challenging a practitioner to demonstrate good hand-eye coordination as well as imaging skills required to constantly keep the needle in the field of view. A large-field-ofview ultrasound volumetric image may be potentially practical for the out-of-plane needle trajectories as well as better understanding of the intra-operative situation. Furthermore, robotic control of the needle integrated with the large-field-of view ultrasound may be potentially practice for a revolution about the needle about a skin entry point and/or a translation of the needle within the skin entry point.

The present disclosure provide for a robotic acoustic probe having a remote center of motion (RCM) locatable at a skin-entry point of a patient anatomy for more intuitive and safer interventional procedures.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a robotic acoustic probe employing an acoustic probe and a robotic instrument guide.

The acoustic probe includes an imaging platform having a device insertion port defining a device insertion port entry and device insertion port exit, and further including an acoustic transducer array disposed relative to the device insertion port exit (e.g., the acoustic transducer array encircling the device insertion port exit).

The robotic instrument guide includes a base mounted to the imaging platform relative to the device insertion port entry, and further includes an end-effector coupled to the base and transitionable between a plurality of instrument poses relative to a remote center of motion.

The end-effector defines an interventional device axis extending through the device insertion port, and the remote center of motion is located on the interventional device axis adjacent the device insertion port exit.

A second embodiment of the present disclosure is a robotic acoustic system employing the aforementioned embodiment of the robotic acoustic probe and further employing an robotic instrument guide controller for controlling a transitioning of the end-effector between the plurality of instrument poses relative to the remote center of motion.

The transitioning of the end-effector between the plurality of instrument poses relative to the remote center of motion may include a revolution of the end-effector about the remote center of motion and/or a translation of the end-effector along the interventional device axis.

The robotic instrument guide controller may derive the control of the transitioning of the end-effector between the plurality of instrument poses relative to the remote center of motion from an ultrasound volumetric imaging of a patient anatomy by the acoustic transducer array, a modality volumetric imaging of the patient anatomy by an imaging modality and/or a position tracking of the robotic instrument guide within a tracking coordinate system.

A third embodiment of the present disclosure is an interventional method, which is not claimed, utilizing the aforementioned embodiment of the robotic acoustic probe.

The interventional method involves a positioning of the robotic acoustic probe relative to a skin entry point of a patient anatomy, wherein the remote center of motion coincides with the skin entry port.

Subsequent thereto, the interventional method further involves an ultrasound volumetric imaging of the patient anatomy by the acoustic transducer array, and/or a transitioning of the end-effector between the plurality of instrument poses relative to the remote center of motion.

For purposes of describing and claiming the inventions of the present disclosure:.

The foregoing embodiments and other embodiments of the present disclosure as well as various features and advantages of the inventions of the present disclosure will become further apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments of the inventions of the present disclosure read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the inventions of the present disclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the inventions of the present disclosure being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

To facilitate an understanding of the various inventions of the present disclosure, the following description of <FIG> teaches embodiments of robotic acoustic probes and robotic acoustic systems in accordance with the inventive principles of the present disclosure. From this description, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate how to practice various and numerous embodiments of robotic acoustic probes and robotic acoustic systems in accordance with the inventive principles of the present disclosure.

Also from this description, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate an incorporation of a robotic acoustic system of the present disclosure in numerous and various types of a robotically controlled image-guided interventions utilizing a robotic acoustic guide of the present disclosure.

Examples of such image-guided intervention include, but is not limited to:.

Referring to <FIG>, a robotic acoustic system <NUM> of the present disclosure employs a robotic acoustic probe including an acoustic probe <NUM> and a robotic instrument guide <NUM> mounted onto acoustic probe <NUM>.

Acoustic probe <NUM> has a structurally arrangement of an imaging platform <NUM> having a device insertion port <NUM> having a device insertion port entry <NUM> and a device insertion port exit <NUM> for an insertion of an interventional device <NUM> as held by robotic instrument guide <NUM> along an instrument device axis <NUM> extending through device insertion port <NUM>.

As will be further exemplary described in the present disclosure, in operation, robotic instrument guide <NUM> is mounted onto acoustic probe <NUM>, such as, for example, by an attachment or a coupling of a base <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to imaging platform <NUM> of acoustic probe <NUM>. The mounting of guide <NUM> unto probe <NUM> establishes a location of a remote center of motion <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> along instrument device axis <NUM> adjacent the device insertion port exit <NUM> to thereby facilitate a coincidental alignment of remote center of motion <NUM> with a skin entry port into a patient anatomy.

In practice, imaging platform <NUM> and device insertion port <NUM> may have any geometrical shape, and imaging platform <NUM> may be any material composition suitable for any interventional procedure or for particular interventional procedure(s).

Also in practice, imaging platform <NUM> may have any configuration suitable for a mounting of base <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> unto imaging platform <NUM> as will be further described in the present disclosure.

Acoustic probe <NUM> further has a structurally arrangement of an acoustic transducer array <NUM> supported by imaging platform <NUM> and disposed relative to insertion port exit <NUM> for executing an ultrasound volumetric imaging of any object within a field of view <NUM> of acoustic transducer array <NUM>. More particularly, as known in the art of the present disclosure, an acoustic probe controller <NUM> of system <NUM> communicates transducer excitation signals <NUM> to acoustic transducer array <NUM> to thereby energize acoustic transducer array <NUM> to transmit and receive ultrasound waves whereby acoustic probe <NUM> communicates echo data <NUM> to acoustic probe controller <NUM> for a generation of an ultrasound volumetric image <NUM> of any object within field of view <NUM>.

In addition to facilitating a mounting of guide <NUM> onto probe <NUM>, in practice, imaging platform <NUM> is structurally configured to manually or robotically position acoustic probe <NUM> for the ultrasound volumetric imaging of a patient anatomy by the acoustic transducer array <NUM>. For example, imaging platform <NUM> may structurally be in the form of a substrate/CMUT positionable upon the patient anatomy, or a probe handle manually or robotically held on a patient anatomy.

In practice, acoustic transducer array <NUM> may include acoustic transceivers, or a subarray of acoustic transmitters and a subarray of acoustic receivers.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary embodiment 20a of acoustic probe <NUM> (<FIG>). Referring to <FIG>, acoustic probe 20a includes an imaging platform 21a in the form of a substrate constructed as a disc having a top surface shown in <FIG> and a bottom surface shown in <FIG>. A device insertion port 22a passes through imaging platform 21a and tapers from a circular device insertion point entry 23a formed on the top surface of imaging platform 21a to a circular device insertion port exit 24a formed on a bottom surface of imaging platform 21a.

An array 25a of acoustic transducers are supported on the bottom surface of imaging platform 21a and disposed around device insertion port exit 24a. Acoustic transducer array 25a may be energized as known in the art of the present disclosure to transmit and receive ultrasound waves within a field of view 26a of acoustic probe 20a.

A pair of hooks <NUM> are provided on a top surface of imaging platform 21a to facilitate a strapping of acoustic probe 20a around a patient.

Imaging platform 21a may support a mounting of a robotic instrument guide <NUM> (<FIG>) via unique clips or locks embedded in imaging platform 21a.

<FIG> illustrates a further exemplary embodiment 20b of acoustic probe <NUM> (<FIG>). Referring to <FIG>, acoustic probe 20b is identical to acoustic probe 20a (<FIG>) with the exception a device insertion port 22b passing through imaging platform 21a and tapering from an elongated device insertion point entry 23b formed on the top surface of imaging platform 21a to an elongated device insertion port exit 24b formed on a bottom surface of imaging platform 21a.

Referring back to <FIG>, robotic instrument guide <NUM> has a structural arrangement of a base <NUM>, two (<NUM>) or more arms/arcs <NUM>, (<NUM>) one or more revolute joints <NUM> and an end-effector <NUM> for defining RCM <NUM> established by an intersection of rotational axes of revolute joints <NUM> and end-effector <NUM> as known in the art of the present disclosure.

In practice, the structural arrangement of base <NUM>, arms/arcs <NUM>, revolute joint(s) <NUM>, and end-effector <NUM> may be suitable for any interventional procedure or for particular interventional procedure(s).

Also in practice, base <NUM> has a structural configuration suitable for attachment to imaging platform <NUM> of acoustic probe <NUM> as will be exemplary described in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, base <NUM> may include a vertical translation joint 42a and/or a horizontal translation joint 42b for respectively vertically and/or horizontally translating end-effector <NUM> relative to device insertion port entry <NUM> of acoustic probe <NUM> while maintaining instrument device axis <NUM> extending through device insertion port <NUM> and RCM <NUM> located on axis <NUM> adjacent device insertion port exit <NUM>.

Further in practice, interventional device(s) <NUM> include any type of interventional device suitable for being held by end-effector <NUM>. Examples of interventional devices <NUM> include, but are not limited to, a biopsy needle, an ablation antenna, a spinal needle, an introducer and closure device and a mini-laparoscope. In one embodiment, end-effector <NUM> may therefore have a structural configuration suitable for holding particular interventional procedures. In another embodiment, robotic instrument guide <NUM> may include numerous changeable instrument device adapters <NUM> with each adapter <NUM> being structurally configured to accommodate different types of interventional device(s) <NUM> whereby end-effector <NUM> is reconfigurable to include any one of the adapters <NUM>.

Also in practice, end-effector <NUM> may include an axis translation joint <NUM> to thereby translated end-effector <NUM> along instrument device axis <NUM> for controlling a depth of any interventional device <NUM> being held by end-effector <NUM> within a patient anatomy prepped for imaging by acoustic probe <NUM>.

Still referring to <FIG>, as known in the art of the present disclosure, a robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> of system <NUM> receives revolute joint data <NUM> informative of a pose of end-effector <NUM> within a workspace <NUM> encircling robotic instrument guide <NUM> whereby robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> may transition end-effector <NUM> between a plurality of poses within workspace <NUM>.

In practice, one or all revolute joint(s) <NUM> may be motorized whereby robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> may communicate robotic actuation commands <NUM> to the motorized revolute joint(s) <NUM> for actuating the motorized revolute joint(s) <NUM> to transition end-effector <NUM> to a desired pose within workspace <NUM>.

Also in practice, one or all revolute joint(s) <NUM> may be mechanical whereby robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> may issue robotic actuation data <NUM> to be displayed whereby an operator may manually actuate revolute joint(s) <NUM> to transition end-effector <NUM> to a desired pose within workspace <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary robotic instrument guide 40a employing a base 41a, a primary revolute joint 44a rotatable about a rotation axis 144a, a secondary revolute joint 44b rotatable about a rotation axis 144b, a support arc 43a, and an instrument arc 43b integrated with an end-effector 45a having an adapter 46a for holding an interventional device (not shown) along instrument device axis 48a.

Support arc 43a is concentrically connected to revolute joint 44a and revolute joint 44b, and instrument arc 43b is concentrically connected to revolute joint 44b. More particularly,.

As shown in <FIG>, base 41a may incorporate vertical translation joint 42a (<FIG>) and/or horizontal translation joint 42b (<FIG>) to move remote center of motion 49a to a desired position relative to a device insertion port exit of an acoustic probe as previously described herein. Concurrently or alternatively, primary revolute joint 44a may incorporate a vertical translation joint and/or a horizontal translation joint to move remote center of motion 49a to a desired position relative to a device insertion port exit of an acoustic probe.

Referring back to <FIG>, in one ultrasound guided interventional procedure embodiment of system <NUM>, acoustic probe controller <NUM> and robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> cooperatively implement a robotic control of an interventional device <NUM> in view of volume ultrasound volumetric imaging by acoustic probe <NUM>.

Generally, in execution of an interventional procedure, acoustic probe controller <NUM> generates ultrasound volumetric image data <NUM> informative of a volume ultrasound volumetric imaging of a patient anatomy based on echo data <NUM> received from the acoustic transducer array of acoustic probe <NUM> via a cable, and communicates ultrasound volumetric image data <NUM> to robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> whereby controller <NUM> generates robot actuation commands as needed to the revolute joints of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to actuate a motorized transition of end-effector 45a of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to a desired pose within the workspace, or generates robot actuation data <NUM> as needed for display to thereby provide information as to actuation of a mechanical transition of end-effector <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to a desired pose within the workspace.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary ultrasound guided interventional procedure embodiment 10a of system <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a workstation <NUM> includes an arrangement of a monitor <NUM>, a keyboard <NUM> and a computer <NUM> as known in the art of the present disclosure.

An acoustic probe controller 30a and a robotic instrument guide controller 50a and are installed in computer <NUM>, and each controller may include a processor, a memory, a user interface, a network interface, and a storage interconnected via one or more system buses.

The processor may be any hardware device, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, capable of executing instructions stored in memory or storage or otherwise processing data. In a non-limiting example, the processor may include a microprocessor, field programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other similar devices.

The memory may include various memories, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, L1, L2, or L3 cache or system memory. In a non-limiting example, the memory may include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), flash memory, read only memory (ROM), or other similar memory devices.

The user interface may include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication with a user such as an administrator. In a non-limiting example, the user interface may include a command line interface or graphical user interface that may be presented to a remote terminal via the network interface.

The network interface may include one or more devices, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, for enabling communication with other hardware devices. In an non-limiting example, the network interface may include a network interface card (NIC) configured to communicate according to the Ethernet protocol. Additionally, the network interface may implement a TCP/IP stack for communication according to the TCP/IP protocols. Various alternative or additional hardware or configurations for the network interface will be apparent\.

The storage may include one or more machine-readable storage media, as known in the art of the present disclosure or hereinafter conceived, including, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, or similar storage media. In various non-limiting embodiments, the storage may store instructions for execution by the processor or data upon with the processor may operate. For example, the storage may store a base operating system for controlling various basic operations of the hardware. The storage may further store one or more application modules in the form of executable software/firmware.

Alternatively, acoustic probe controller 30a and robotic instrument guide controller 50a may be integrated as installed on computer <NUM>.

For this embodiment a first step of the interventional procedure as related to robotic acoustic probe of the present disclosure is an attachment of robotic instrument guide 40a to acoustic probe 20a in mounting position atop acoustic probe 20a. The attachment is enabled by unique clips or locks embedded in a substrate casing of acoustic probe 20a and self-adhesive tape. The use of unique clips provides for a position of robotic instrument guide 40a in respect to acoustic probe 20a, and therefore a mapping between ultrasound volumetric image space and the robotic workspace is known from a calibration of the robotic acoustic probe.

In practice, the calibration of the robotic acoustic probe may performed as known in the art of the present disclosure. For example, after the mounting, the following calibration steps may be performed.

First, controller 50a moves end-effector 45a holding a pointer tool to n position and acquires an end-effector position T (orientation and translation) calculated using forward kinematics.

Second, acoustic probe 20a is positioned on an ultrasound phantom (e.g., a gelatin medium) (not shown) whereby the tool is inserted into the ultrasound phantom by a certain depth in respect to previously acquired end-effector position T. If guide 40a provide a degree of freedom to control the insertion depth, the controller 50a uses the forward kinematics to obtain the tip of the end-effector 45a. Otherwise, an offset from the final end-effector position (translation) to the tip of the tool must be measured.

Third, controller 30a acquires position of the tool tip (p) segmented on an ultrasound volumetric image.

Fourth, the first three (<NUM>) steps are repeated, preferably more than three (<NUM>) iterations for higher accuracy,.

Fifth, controller 50a calculates a registration matrix using point-based registration method as known in the art of the present disclosure. The points utilized in the point-based registration include (<NUM>) acquired end-effector positions projected by the measured offset and the tool orientation axis and (<NUM>) target points segmented in the US image tool tip positions. If the insertion depth is actuated, then end-effector position may be directly utilized in the point-based registration.

Still referring to <FIG>, upon calibration, acoustic probe 20a with an robotic instrument guide mounted thereon is positioned on a patient anatomy <NUM> whereby an acoustic coupling is assured by the practitioner firmly pushing acoustic probe 20a towards the patient skin.

Controller 30a is thereafter operated to control an ultrasound volumetric imaging of an organ or other inner structures containing the point of interest (e.g., a lesion). From the image, a target location is manually defined on the volume ultrasound volumetric image (e.g., a lesion location) or a target location is automatically segmented from the volume ultrasound volumetric image using the methods known in art of the present disclosure (e.g., a region-based segmentation, a thresholding segmentation, a model-based segmentation or a machine learning-based segmentation).

As soon as the target location is defined, an entry point of an interventional tool 60a (e.g., a needle) is constrained by a design of RCM 49a coinciding with the skin-entry point whereby controller 50a automatically moves end-effector 45a using robot kinematics to a pose for achieving a desired trajectory of interventional tool 60a into patient anatomy <NUM>.

In one embodiment, controller 50a may implement a visual servoing technique as known in the art of the present disclosure. For example, the target location is user-selected or automatically selected within the volume ultrasound volumetric image user and controller 50a controls a transition of end-effector 45a to a pose for achieving a desired trajectory of interventional tool 60a into patient anatomy <NUM> by using a visual servoing that controls the pose of end-effector 45a relative to image features viewed by the endoscope. The position of the end-effector 45a in the ultrasound volumetric image space is known by controller 50a from the calibration process previously described above. This approach might be also applied to endoscopic procedures in which the laparoscope is hold by the instrument guide and the movement of the target on the laparoscopic image updates the position of the endoscope.

For this visual servoing, as the target location moves due to respiratory motion, controller 50a is able to adjust the pose of the end-effector by following the image features.

In another embodiment, the interventional procedure may require multiple device trajectories (e.g., radio-frequency ablation or irreversible electroporation may require multiple needle trajectories). Such procedures may be accomplished exclusive with volume ultrasound volumetric images, which are created for instance by stitching several single ultrasound volumes as known in the art of the present disclosure (e.g., a motorized sweeping of acoustic probe 20a over an imaging scene of patient anatomy <NUM>. This may be achieved by tracking acoustic probe 20a by an external tracking device, or by using image-based registration methods as known in the art of the present disclosure.

More particularly, acoustic probe 20a is swept over a region of interest to thereby acquire several volume ultrasound volumetric images of the region of interest.

Next, controller 30a creates a compound image via an image-based image stitching of the volume ultrasound volumetric images as known in the art of the present disclosure.

Third, controller 30a controls a user defining of multiple trajectories on the compound image via monitor <NUM> as known in the art of the present disclosure. The user may also define objects to be avoided via the trajectories (e.g., ribs and vessels).

Fourth, acoustic probe 20a with guide 40a mounted thereto is moved over the same region of interest. This intraoperative volume ultrasound volumetric image is then registered by controller 50a to the compound image using a registration technique as known in the art of the present disclosure (e.g., a mutual-information-based registration).

As soon as acoustic probe 20a is positioned in a vicinity of one of the defined targets, controller 50a automatically adjusts an orientation of device 60a via an actuated movement of guide 40a (on-line adjustment).

Referring back to <FIG>, in a second interventional procedure embodiment of system <NUM>, acoustic probe controller <NUM>, robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> and an imaging modality controller <NUM> of interventional imaging system <NUM> cooperatively implement a robotic control of an interventional device <NUM> in view of volume images generated by acoustic probe 20a and an imaging modality <NUM>.

In practice, imaging modality <NUM> may be any imaging device of a stand-alone x-ray imaging system, a mobile x-ray imaging system, an ultrasound volumetric imaging system (e.g., TEE, TTE, IVUS, ICE), a computed tomography ("CT") imaging system (e.g., a cone beam CT), a positron emission tomography ("PET") imaging system and a magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI") system.

Generally, in execution of an interventional procedure, acoustic probe controller <NUM> generates ultrasound volumetric image data <NUM> informative of a volume ultrasound volumetric imaging of a patient anatomy based on echo signals <NUM> received from the acoustic transducer array of acoustic probe <NUM> via a cable, and communicates ultrasound volumetric image data <NUM> to robotic instrument guide controller <NUM>. Concurrently, imaging modality controller <NUM> generates modality volumetric image data <NUM> informative of a modality volumetric imaging of a patient anatomy by the imaging modality <NUM> (e.g., X-ray, CT, PECT, MRI, etc.) and communicates modality volumetric image data <NUM> to robotic instrument guide controller <NUM>. In response to the both data <NUM> and <NUM>, controller 50a registers the ultrasound volumetric image (e.g., a single volume of a compound stitched volume) to the modality volumetric image by executing an image-based registration as known in the art of the present disclosure.

From the image registration, controller <NUM> generates robot actuation commands <NUM> as needed to the revolute joints <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to actuate a motorized transition of end-effector <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to a desired pose within the workspace, or generates robot actuation data <NUM> as needed for display to thereby provide information as to actuation of a mechanical transition of end-effector <NUM> of robotic instrument guide <NUM> to a desired pose within the workspace <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary image modality guided interventional procedure embodiment 10b of system <NUM>.

For this embodiment 10b, the imaging modality is an X-ray system and the revolute joints of robotic instrument guide 40a are mechanical, not motorized, whereby the motors are replaced by a locking mechanism (e.g. a clamp). When the locking mechanism is loosen, the arcs of guide 40a may be freely rotated as desired and the orientation of the end-effector 45a may therefore be adjusted. When the locking mechanism is tightened, the arcs of guide 40a are immobilized and device 60a being held by end-effector 45a is locked in a desired orientation. A feedback to a practitioner is provided from a robotic instrument guide 40a-to-CT image registration.

In one embodiment, the registration is performed using three (<NUM>) or more radio-opaque markers embedded in the non-movable base of guide 40a and includes the following steps.

First, guide 40a, individually or as mounted on acoustic probe 20a, is attached on to patient anatomy <NUM> via self-adhesive tape or any other attachment mechanism.

Second, a volumetric CBCT image of guide 40a as attached patient anatomy <NUM> is acquired by the X-ray system, and controller <NUM> communicates modality volumetric imaging data <NUM> informative of the volumetric CBCT image to controller 50c.

Third, controller 50c detects as least three (<NUM>) of the radio-opaque markers embedded in the non-movable base of guide 40a within the CBCT image to thereby identify a position of guide 40a in six (<NUM>) degree of freedom with respect to the patient anatomy <NUM> using a registration technique as known in the art of the present disclosure (e.g., a rigid point-based registration).

Fourth, controller 50c plans a trajectory of device 60a within patient anatomy <NUM> (e.g., a needle trajectory).

Fifth, controller 50a controls displayed feedback <NUM> on monitor <NUM> via an interface informative of required rotation angles on each joint in order to reach the desired device trajectory. The locking mechanism incorporates a scale to thereby assist the user in setting correct rotation angles of the arcs of guide 40a.

Finally, two (<NUM>) 2D fluoroscopy images of the same radio-opaque markers are acquired by the X-ray system and communicated to controller 50c, which registers the volumetric CBCT image to the 2D fluoroscopy images by determining a projection matrix for merging the 2D fluoroscopic images and volumetric CBCT image dependent on reference positions of the base of guide 40a via the markers to thereby merge said 2D fluoroscopic images with said preoperative 3D image using said projection matrix as known in the art of the present disclosure.

Referring back to <FIG>, in a third interventional procedure embodiment of system <NUM>, acoustic probe controller <NUM>, robotic instrument guide controller <NUM> and a position tracking controller <NUM> of a position tracking system <NUM> cooperatively implement a robotic control of an interventional device <NUM> in view of a tracking of robotic instrument guide <NUM> by position tracking elements <NUM> of position tracking system <NUM>.

In practice, position tracking elements <NUM> may include, but not be limited to, three (<NUM>) or more retro-reflective spheres, dots, electromagnetic sensors or lines, or optical fibers, etc. located on base <NUM> of guide <NUM> whereby a three-dimensional position of target feature may be calculated using triangulation techniques as known in the art.

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary position tracking guided interventional procedure embodiment 10c of system <NUM>.

For this embodiment 10c, position tracking controller <NUM> communicates position tracking data <NUM> informative of any tracked positon of a base of guide 40a to robotic instrument guide controller 50d. In support of the interventional procedure, a calibration of the volume ultrasound volumetric image must be performed to facilitate subsequent tracking of the volume ultrasound volumetric image.

In one embodiment, particularly for an optical, electromagnetic or fiber tracking as guide trackers attached to the base of guider 40a, the calibration may be performed intraoperatively based on a positon of each instrument guide tracker (guideTtracker) is known from the manufacturing process. The calibration matrix is calculated as in accordance with guideTimage = guideTtracker · (imageTtracker)-<NUM>, where imageTtracker is calculated from features illustrated in the volume ultrasound volumetric image as known in the art of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, knowing an insertion depth on device 60a may be beneficial. In one embodiment, robotic instrument guide 40a has a <NUM>rd degree of freedom located at the end-effector as previously described within an axis translation joint 48a. This additional DOF controls the insertion depth of the needle and may be measured using an optical encoder embedded into the end-effector. Such an optical encoder can report the insertion depth with a sub-millimeter resolution.

In addition, having control over the insertion depth, an automatic instrument insertion using real-time image-based feedback may be performed. For example, ultrasound volumetric images and/or X-ray fluoroscopic images may be used to monitor the changes in the position of the target due to a breathing motion of patient anatomy <NUM> as previously described herein whereby device 60a (e.g., a needle) may be "shot" into patient anatomy in sync with a desired respiratory cycle.

Referring to <FIG>, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate numerous benefits of the present disclosure including, but not limited to, a robotic acoustic probe having a remote center of motion (RCM) locatable at a skin-entry point of a patient anatomy for more intuitive and safer interventional procedures.

Furthermore, as one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate in view of the teachings provided herein, features, elements, components, etc. described in the present disclosure/specification and/or depicted in the Figures may be implemented in various combinations of electronic components/circuitry, hardware, executable software and executable firmware and provide functions which may be combined in a single element or multiple elements. For example, the functions of the various features, elements, components, etc. shown/illustrated/depicted in the Figures can be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions can be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which can be shared and/or multiplexed. Moreover, explicit use of the term "processor" should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and can implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor ("DSP") hardware, memory (e.g., read only memory ("ROM") for storing software, random access memory ("RAM"), non-volatile storage, etc.) and virtually any means and/or machine (including hardware, software, firmware, circuitry, combinations thereof, etc.) which is capable of (and/or configurable) to perform and/or control a process.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future (e.g., any elements developed that can perform the same or substantially similar function, regardless of structure). Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings provided herein that any block diagrams presented herein can represent conceptual views of illustrative system components and/or circuitry embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, one having ordinary skill in the art should appreciate in view of the teachings provided herein that any flow charts, flow diagrams and the like can represent various processes which can be substantially represented in computer readable storage media and so executed by a computer, processor or other device with processing capabilities, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can take the form of a computer program product or application module accessible from a computer-usable and/or computer-readable storage medium providing program code and/or instructions for use by or in connection with, e.g., a computer or any instruction execution system. In accordance with the present disclosure, a computer-usable or computer readable storage medium can be any apparatus that can, e.g., include, store, communicate, propagate or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus or device. Such exemplary medium can be, e.g., an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include, e.g., a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), flash (drive), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk - read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk - read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD. Further, it should be understood that any new computer-readable medium which may hereafter be developed should also be considered as computer-readable medium as may be used or referred to in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and disclosure.

Having described preferred and exemplary embodiments of novel and inventive robotic acoustic probes and systems, (which embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons having ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings provided herein, including the Figures. It is therefore to be understood that changes can be made in/to the preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure which are within the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claim 1:
A robotic acoustic system for application with an interventional device (<NUM>), comprising:
an acoustic probe (<NUM>) including
an imaging platform (<NUM>) having a device insertion port (<NUM>) defining a device insertion port entry (<NUM>) and device insertion port exit (<NUM>), and
an acoustic transducer array (<NUM>) supported by the imaging platform (<NUM>) and disposed relative to the device insertion port exit (<NUM>); and
a robotic instrument guide (<NUM>) including
a base (<NUM>) mounted to the imaging platform (<NUM>) relative to the device insertion port entry (<NUM>); and
an end-effector (<NUM>) coupled to the base (<NUM>) and transitionable between a plurality of poses relative to a remote-center-of-motion (<NUM>), wherein the end-effector (<NUM>) defines an interventional device axis (<NUM>) extending through the device insertion port (<NUM>),
wherein the remote-center-of-motion (<NUM>) is located on the interventional device axis (<NUM>) adjacent the device insertion port exit (<NUM>);
the robotic acoustic system being characterized in that the base (<NUM>) includes at least one translation joint to translate the remote-center-of-motion (<NUM>) within a confined space adjacent the device insertion port exit (<NUM>).