Positioning Accuracy Test of A Self-Developed 2D C-arm Image Based Robotic Navigation System for Spine Surgery

Abstract

This manuscript presents positioning accuracy test of a self-development 2D C-arm image based robotic navigation system for assisting the surgeon to implant pedicle screws to the planned locations. The main difference of the system to the ROSA Spine system or Mazor X system is the use of 2D C-arm images instead of 3D C-arm (O-arm) or CT images, which is because 2D C-arm is more popular and available in most hospitals. The surgeon uses a positioning probe to plan drill paths directly on the patient’s back, which are projected and shown on the computer-displayed C-arm AP and LA images so that the surgeon can make sure the correction of implantation path. The spatial position and orientation of the implantation path are also input to the robot controller to enable the robot to move automatically the guiding device to align with the planned path. Then the surgeon can easily drill and implant pedicle screw into the pedicle by following the guiding sleeve. The positioning results of phantom experiment indicate that the average distance error of probe tip between planned and guided paths within the pedicle is 1.2 + 0.3mm and the average direction error between the two paths is 0.4 + 0.1o.