Mechatronics supported virtual bronchoscopy for navigation in bronchoscopy of peripheral respiratory tree

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to test conjecture that the data related to manual maneuvers with the handle of a catheter of a bronchoscope provides information sufficient for accomplishing the task of estimating the position, orientation and flexure of the distal end of a catheter. To test the conjecture three devices were developed and mounted on the handle of a catheter and on the external opening of the working channel of a bronchoscope. The devices recorded shifts of a catheter, rotations of the catheter handle and the shifts of the ring of the catheter, directly related to the flexure of the tip of the catheter. In laboratory experiments it has been shown that the shift of the catheter can be monitored with accuracy of 2 mm and the catheter tip rotation and flexure angles can be monitored with accuracy of 10 and 20°, respectively. The accuracy of the developed devices compares favorably with the accuracy of the current standard methods for supporting peripheral bronchoscopy.