Initial Clinical Experience with a Robotic Assistance System for Liver Biopsies in a Diagnostic 1.5T MR Scanner

Michael Moche¹, Dirk Zajonz¹, Thomas Kahn¹, Harald Busse¹

We report on our initial experience from 12 liver biopsies guided by a commercial stereotactic robotic system with six degrees of freedom in a closed-bore MRI scanner. Because the liver is subject to respiratory motion, (i) a preinterventional breathhold training with the patient was considered essential, and (ii) immediately after needle placement, the guiding sleeve had to be disconnected from the system to avoid liver injury. The device appears to provide a substantial benefit for biopsies with double oblique access paths. Most of the interventions could be performed without contrast media and the learning curve suggests a mean intervention time of less than one hour.