Biopsy guidance by image-based x-ray guidance system and photonic needle

Abstract

A system for providing integrated guidance for positioning a needle in a body has two levels of guidance: a coarse guidance and a fine guidance. The system comprises a non-invasive imaging system for obtaining an image of the biopsy device in the body, for providing the coarse guidance. Furthermore, the system comprises an optical element mounted on the needle for obtaining optical information discriminating tissue in the body, for providing the fine guidance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a system for integrated guidance for positioning a biopsy device in a body, a biopsy device and a method of positioning the same. Particularly, the invention relates to a system for and a method of providing integrated guidance for positioning the biopsy device in a body.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]For correct diagnosis of various cancer diseases biopsies are taken. This can either be done via a lumen of an endoscope or via needle biopsies. An example of a needle biopsy is shown in FIG. 1, where a biopsy is taken from the prostate via the rectum. In order to find the correct position to take the biopsy, various imaging modalities are used such as X-ray, MRI or ultrasound. In case of prostate cancer in most cases the biopsy is guided by ultrasound (see FIG. 1). Although helpful, these methods of guidance are far from optimal.[0003]There are two major problems directly related to the biopsy:[0004]The resolution is limit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]Another aspect of the invention is that in translating the measured optical data into a tissue type can be difficult when no information about the surrounding morphology is known. Hence the decision making of the tissue characterization improves having the morphology information coming from the non-invasive imaging system as input. Hence preferably first the optical data is registered to the non-invasive imaging data, then the optical information together with the morphology information around the needle coming from the non-invasive imaging modality is used in translating the measured optical data into a tissue type in front of or near the needle. For instance when the needle is in soft tissue the optical information can be affected whether a bone structure is close by or not. Taking this into account a more reliable tissue characterization is possible.

Problems solved by technology

It has been found that taking a biopsy in accordance with the above methods may have a number of drawbacks, such asdifficulties in guiding the biopsy needle to a centre of the tissue to be investigated;difficulties in delineating the tumor boundaries (shape and size of tumor);difficulties in taking specimen out of the body for the histological analysis without dissemination of the tumor.

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