Robotics & Engineering Research Center, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, China.
Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing and Intelligent Technology, Ministry of Education, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, China.
Int J Med Robot. 2021 Jun;17(3):e2239. doi: 10.1002/rcs.2239. Epub 2021 Mar 10.
Image-guided brachytherapy (BT) robots can be used to assist urologists during seed implantation, thereby improving therapeutic effects. However, safety issues must be considered in the design of such robots, including their structure, mechanical movements, function, materials and actuators. Previous reviews focused on image-guided prostate BT robot technology (e.g., imaging and robot navigation technology and robot system introduction); however, this review is the first time that safety issues have been investigated as part of a study on low-dose-rate (LDR) prostate BT robots.
Multiple electronic databases were searched for LDR prostate BT robot articles published during the last 24 years (1996-2020), with a particular focus on two aspects of robots: safety in design and use.
We retrieved a total of 26 LDR prostate BT robots. BT robots were divided into ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and fusion-guided systems. The conditions associated with each system were then analysed to develop a set of requirements for the safety of prostate BT robots. Recommendations are also provided for future BT robot development.
The transrectal approach for prostate seed implantation is safer than the traditional transperineal approach. Research into the control of a steerable needle by the urologists and robot, the needle deflection model, and robotic automated needle changing and seed injection equipment should be pursued in a future study.
图像引导近距离放射治疗（BT）机器人可用于协助泌尿科医生进行种子植入，从而提高治疗效果。然而，在设计此类机器人时必须考虑安全问题，包括其结构、机械运动、功能、材料和执行器。以前的综述主要集中在图像引导前列腺 BT 机器人技术（例如，成像和机器人导航技术和机器人系统介绍）；然而，本综述首次将安全问题作为低剂量率（LDR）前列腺 BT 机器人研究的一部分进行了调查。
对过去 24 年（1996-2020 年）发表的 LDR 前列腺 BT 机器人文章进行了多个电子数据库搜索，特别关注机器人的两个方面：设计和使用安全。
我们共检索到 26 个 LDR 前列腺 BT 机器人。BT 机器人分为超声、计算机断层扫描、磁共振成像和融合引导系统。然后分析每个系统的条件，为前列腺 BT 机器人的安全性制定了一套要求。并为未来的 BT 机器人开发提供了建议。
经直肠途径进行前列腺种子植入比传统的经会阴途径更安全。未来的研究应致力于研究泌尿科医生和机器人对可转向针的控制、针的偏转模型以及机器人自动更换针和种子注射设备。
