RESUMEN
We have developed a new navigation approach for computer-assisted interventional radiology. Our system combines a virtual reality display with high-fidelity haptic rendering to provide assistance and guidance of the medical gesture. Specifically, the system is designed to improve the accuracy of blind needle placement within tissues. The proposed technique actively helps the surgeon while keeping him in control of the procedure. We have recently developed an experimental setup for CT-guided biopsy. The setup features a high-precision haptic device connected to the biopsy needle, combined with a graphical interface. The haptic system guides the surgeon's hand to the target tissue based on CT data, whereas a real-time, graphical visualization of the tool trajectory provides navigation information. The setup requires rigid registration of the patient with respect to the haptic interface. Tests have been performed in the presence of radiologists to validate the proposed concept, and early results show that the system is easy to use and requires little training. We are planning to conduct clinical testing in the near future to quantitatively assess system performance.