Transperineal prostate intervention:: Robot for fully automated MR Imaging -: System description and proof of principle in a Canine model

The study was approved by the animal care and use committee. The purpose of the study was to prospectively establish proof of principle in vivo in canines for a magnetic resonance ( MR) imaging - compatible robotic system designed for image- guided prostatic needle intervention. The entire robot is built with nonmagnetic and dielectric materials and in its current configuration is designed to perform fully automated brachytherapy seed placement within a closed MR imager. With a 3.0- T imager, in four dogs the median error for MR imaging - guided needle positioning and seed positioning was 2.02 mm ( range, 0.86 - 3.18 mm) and 2.50 mm ( range, 1.45 - 10.54 mm), respectively. The robotic system is capable of accurate MR imaging - guided prostatic needle intervention within a standard MR imager in vivo in a canine model.