Mechanical arm assisted lumbar puncture ultrasound scanning control and structural reconstruction

Abstract

Objective To design a mechanical arm assisted lumbar puncture ultrasound scanning system to realize automatic scanning imaging of the lumbar vertebrae and visualize the three-dimensional reconstruction of the acquired two-dimensional ultrasound image, so as to obtain the three-dimensional image of the scanning lumbar and provide a basis for path planning and assisted puncture. Methods The main control program of the robotic arm was programmed by C language which can control the robotic arm to scan the lumbar vertebrae of the patient by a clamped ultrasound. The acquired 2D ultrasound image was reconstructed and visualized using a VTK-based 3D reconstruction visualization program. The lumbar vertebrae model reconstruction was conducted by Enovo Medical Model in water and CIRS 034 lumbar vertebral phantom, respectively, and the experimental results were compared and analyzed. Results By using the lumbar puncture ultrasound scanning system, the obtained two-dimensional ultrasound image of the lumbar spine model was clear and the anatomy was basically complete. The results of three-dimensional reconstruction showed that the spinous processes and their gaps of the scanned lumbar model were clearly visible, and the structure was intact, indicating that the system was operating normally and could achieve the expected function. By comparing the reconstruction results of the bent-knee lateral position and prone position, it can be concluded that the body position has an important influence on the reconstruction results of the lumbar spine ultrasound image. The bent-knee lateral position should be used in the follow-up study of lumbar puncture. Conclusions A lumbar puncture ultrasound scanning system assisted by a mechanical arm was proposed. The system can effectively capture the clear ultrasound image of the model and realize the visualization of 3D reconstruction, which can provide a basis for puncture path planning and assisted puncture. Key words: Lumbar puncture; Mechanical arm; Ultrasound; VTK; 3D reconstruction