Design of a MRI Viewer Software for MRI-guided Robotic Prostate Biopsy

A fusion imaging of a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and MRI is a representative approach for a prostate biopsy. However, due to the poor image quality of the ultrasound, the fusion imaging method is still unclear. Meanwhile, MRI-guided prostate biopsy may be an alternative approach with various advantages for the diagnosis. Moreover, if a robotic system is embedded in the approach, that solution can overcome the limitation of operator dependence. MRI-guided robotic prostate biopsy system allows the operator to predict the guide path through the integrated software. In this study, we suggest a prototype of MRI viewer software for the MRI-guided robotic prostate biopsy system. To develop the software, MRI scans were performed with phantom and needle guidance. We implemented a DICOM-compatible viewer software and a distance measurement function. The software was successfully implemented using Python and Qt. However, there are several methodological limitations in this study. The experimental parameters (phantom and needle guidance) are not designated for MRI-guided biopsy protocol but for just MRI-compatible material. In addition, the DICOM data used in this study is stored in the PC, not the data that is immediately transmitted. Despite these difficulties, our result shows that the software could be integrated with a MRI-guided robotic prostate biopsy system, making a good solution for the diagnosis.