The Perk Station: Systems design for percutaneous intervention training suite

Image-guided percutaneous needle-based surgery has become part of routine clinical practice in performing procedures such as biopsies, injections and therapeutic implants. A novice physician typically performs needle interventions under the supervision of a senior physician; a slow and inherently subjective training process that lacks objective, quantitative assessment of the surgical skill and performance. Current evaluations of needle-based surgery are also rather simplistic: usually only needle tip accuracy and procedure time are recorded, the latter being used as an indicator of economical feasibility. Shortening the learning curve and increasing procedural consistency are critically important factors in assuring high-quality medical care for all segments of society. This paper describes the design and development of a laboratory validation system for measuring operator performance under different assistance techniques for needle-based surgical guidance systems - The perk station. The initial focus of the perk station is to assess and compare three different techniques: the image overlay, bi-plane laser guide, and conventional freehand. The integrated system comprises of a flat display with semi-transparent mirror (image overlay), bi-plane laser guide, a magnetic tracking system, a tracked needle, a phantom, and a stand-alone laptop computer running the planning and guidance software. The prototype Perk Station has been successfully developed, the associated needle insertion phantoms have been built, and the graphic surgical interface has been implemented.