Grant: Project Grant

Patients with cancer in the mid-throat section may require robotic surgery to manage the disease. With robotic surgery, some haptic feedback is lost due to the representation of the 3D surgical space on the robot's monitoring screen and the tumour may not be fully removed, resulting in further chemotherapy required after the surgery. In order to improve haptic feedback for surgeons and, subsequently, optimize surgical outcomes for patients through improved accuracy of disease removal, our project aims to integrate real time ultrasound imaging and MRI imaging to be displayed on the monitoring screen of the surgical robot. In Aim 1 of the project, ultrasound imaging will be collected during the surgery and superimposed onto the MRI imaging to assess the accuracy of this technique in helping detect the disease. Then, in Aim 2, the superimposed imaging will be shown on the robot's monitor to study its utility in the operating room. Our team will also plan for a subsequent clinical implementation phase in Aim 3. This project has the potential to impact patient care by improving the accuracy of disease removal, thereby lowering the rate of recurrence of the cancer, which can leave devastating impact on the patient, as well as reducing the need for further re-operation. In addition to improving the patient's quality of life, the project can potentially lower the burden on the healthcare system by reducing the resources required to manage recurring disease.