Design and Validation of a Robotic-Assisted Transperineal Prostate Biopsy System

Prostate cancer is a common condition among elderly men, significantly impacting quality of life. It accounts for a large percentage of cancer cases, necessitating effective diagnostic methods. Needle biopsy is a vital procedure for accurate detection and grading of prostate cancer, allowing for targeted treatment. The most common approach is transper-ineal prostate biopsy, guided by real-time ultrasound and MRI fusion. The traditional free-hand biopsy technique is highly dependent on the surgeon's expertise and has limitations in both effectiveness and precision. Robotic-assisted biopsy aims to address these issues by enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of the procedure, reducing the need for extensive surgeon experience. This paper introduces an active six-degree-of-freedom (DOF) and one Z-direction passive DOF transperineal prostate biopsy robot incorporating a 2-DOF ultrasonic probe unit and a biopsy unit with 4-DOF movement to replace the manual operation. This system ensures precise orientation and positioning of the biopsy needle, minimizes patient risk, and supports both 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging, thus facilitating a safe and effective biopsy with improved workflow for surgeons.