Tactile sensor method for thoracoscopic detection of intrapulmonary nodules
Ohtsuka, T.; Kohno, T.; Nakajima, J.; Miyaji, K.; Furuse, A.; Omata, S.
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics 39: 362-368
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0926-9630 PMID: 10168932 Document Number: 476709
We have developed a tactile sensor which can be used to quantify the hardness of objects and applied it to thoracoscopic surgery for the localization of small invisible nodules in the lung. The hardness properties of objects can be obtained as changes in the resonance frequency of the tactile sensor (delta f). When the sensor probe is moved over the lung surface, a delta f curve is depicted on the computer screen. When the sensor tip passes the area just above a target nodule, a spike is evoked in the delta f curve. In thoracoscopic surgery, tactile sensor was employed to detect a total or 42 nodules, 32 indeterminate and 10 metastatic, in 37 patients. All except two of these detected nodules, had been preoperatively demonstrated with computed tomography. Each nodule was detected successfully by recognizing the spot on the pleura, at which the spike of delta f curve was evoked, and resected thoracoscopically. All of the indeterminate nodules were diagnosed intraoperatively; 28 benign tumors and 4 primary carcinomas. In conclusion, our tactile sensor method can be a viable alternative for thoracoscopic detection of small and invisible pulmonary nodules.