Ultrasound waves are reflected by the high-density bone tissue, causing a "shadow" effect that obscures the underlying structures. Therefore, the robotic ultrasound scan of the liver area presents a significant challenge due to the ribs obscuring parts of the liver, making it difficult to fully scan for tumors. In addressing this problem, this ongoing project in TUM's CAMP chair (Chair for Computer Aided Medical Procedures & Augmented Reality) tries to employ deep reinforcement learning algorithms, seeking to optimize the robotic arm's movements to navigate around the ribcage and ensure complete and efficient coverage of the liver tumor area during ultrasound scans. The demos are displayed below:
Demo videos: Tumor (red), ultrasound ray (gray) and ribs (yellow)