Towards an MRI-Compatible Flexible Endoscopic Robot for Transsphenoidal Neurosurgery

Abstract

This paper presents the design, modeling, and testing of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible flexible endoscopic robot for MRI-guided transsphenoidal neurosurgery. The robot consists of a straight rigid shaft, a tendon-driven steerable tip with two degrees of freedom, and a low-profile hydraulic tendon-driven system. The small diameter (about 3 mm) of the robot will allow the robot to pass through narrow nasal cavities and navigate in congested skull base. By filling the steerable tip with deionized water, the MRI contrast of the robot can be improved, therefore enabling intra-operative tracking of the robot movement. In this paper, we will present the design and manufacturing of the robot system, kinematic modeling of the steerable tip, and experimental studies to verify our model and demonstrate the MRI-compatibility and intra-operative tracking of the robot.