I visit Vincent Groenhuis, assistant professor in the Robotics and Mechatronics department at the University of Twente. Groenhuis is an expert in robotics and works on robots that assist doctors in cancer diagnostics. One of those robots is the focus of this video: Sunram 7, an MRI-compatible breast biopsy robot.
What is a biopsy and why is precision so important?
A biopsy involves removing a small piece of tissue to examine it for cancer. In breast cancer, the tissue must be obtained from the correct location. A difference of a few millimetres can mean that you are examining the wrong tissue.
MRI scans can play an important role here. They show soft tissue, such as breast tissue, in great detail. But taking a biopsy in an MRI scanner is technically complicated. Strong magnetic fields make the use of standard instruments and robotics virtually impossible.
How a biopsy robot can still be used in an MRI scanner
Sunram 7 is no ordinary robot. It is largely 3D-printed, contains no magnetic metal parts and is powered by compressed air. This allows the biopsy robot to function safely in the strong magnetic environment of an MRI scanner. This is important because MRI images can show precisely where the suspicious tissue is located. If you can scan and puncture at the same time, you don't have to keep checking whether you've punctured the right spot.
During an MRI-guided breast biopsy, the doctor can watch live as the biopsy needle is guided to the right spot. This increases the chance of removing the correct tissue. Less guesswork, more certainty.
Can Kees take a biopsy with a robot?
In this Kees Study, I get to try it out for myself. Can I use Sunram 7 to take a biopsy from a phantom breast? This is a realistic test model of a breast that is used for research. I control the robot and try to take the biopsy in exactly the right place.
This episode shows how biopsies and robotics come together in the hospital of the future. Medical robotics can help diagnose cancer earlier, more accurately and more safely. And yes: even someone like Kees can take a biopsy with the right technology.
