There are currently no existing systems for the holmium microsphere injection which are MR-safe and automated. The current state-of-the-art involves manually injecting holmium while checking the patient's status. A pneumatic-based solution could provide an automated system which is near real- time and can potentially yield greater accuracy.
The injection is not precise enough, as the professionals cannot track the holmium injection in real time. In order to provide the injection, the professionals must check either an MR or a CT scan, perform the injection, and then check the MR/CT scan again. Thus, during the injection process, the surgeon doesn't know whether the needle is spot-on or if there is enough/too much holmium at the target spot.
To what extent can a pneumatic-based drive system achieve the target positional accuracy required for a holmium microsphere injection prototype?
The project has to be MR-safe, the prototype has to be paramagnetic and cannot contain conductive materials, unless these materials are at a sufficient distance from the main functioning parts of the prototype. The project should use pneumatics to operate.