Proceeding of the IEEE

International Conference on Information and Automation

Yinchuan, China, August 2013

Establishing Dynamic Model for Mobile CARM

An important model for spine surgery navigation
Jianda Han and Yiwen Zhao
Guoli Song State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of
Automation
State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Automation Shenyang 110016, P.R. China
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shenyang 110016, P.R. China { jdhan & zhaoyw }@sia.cn
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chen Chen
Beijing 100049, P.R. China School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University
Qinhuangdao 066004, P.R. China
songgl@sia.cn ycxfkdcc@126.com

Abstract - Mobile CARM is a more and more important
device for spine surgery navigation. The accuracy of the
intraoperative image has a huge influence on the surgery success
rate. For the purposes to achieve the surgery, the image capture
device should be modeled by an accurate method. This paper
describes the problems of establishing the CARM model. By
analysis the structure of the mobile CARM, we establish the
static model of the CARM. Next by kinematics analysis, we
establish the dynamic model which could guarantee the accuracy
of the CARM. Last we confirm the deviation of CARM images.
Index Terms - Mobile CARM, CARM navigation, image guide
surgery.
CARM, we establish the static model of the CARM. Next by
kinematics analysis, we establish the dynamic model which
could guarantee the accuracy of the CARM. Last we correct
the deviation of CARM images.
II. SYSTEM COMPOSITION
The CARM is used Siemens ARCADIS Varic C-ARM.
The visual tracking system is the Vicon Optical Motion
Capture one, as shown in Fig. 1.

I. INTRODUCTION
Intraoperative X-Ray is a valuable instrument of
orthopedics surgery. Intraoperative X-ray scanning could help
to locate the patient and surgery instruments. By locating the
patient and the surgery instruments, the surgeon can ensure the
relative position of the surgery instruments and the patient's
anatomy structure, so that it will improve the accuracy of the
surgery and reduce the exposure range during the surgery. It is
helpful for the surgeon to observe the changing of the patient.
Accordingly, the mobile CARM is continuously promoting its
importance in everyday orthopedics surgery [1-2]. (a) (b)
Simultaneously, with the development of the surgery robot, Fig.1. The System composition (a: Siemens ARCADIS Varic C-ARM; b:
surgery robot and image guide have become a tendency of Vicon Optical Motion Capture system)
orthopedics surgery especially for minimally invasive surgery.
III. PROBLEM FOR ESTABLISHING THE CARM MODEL
Considerable the preoperative image get from CT or MRI, and
these devices are not suitable for surgery. But the rapid A. Deformation of the Arm
development of the medical image registration ensures that the During the surgery, the CARM is used to guide the robot
multi-modality images could match for surgery [3-5]. The or to track some special instruments. However, the image
navigation of orthopedics surgery uses the preoperative intensifier should stretch into the position where the patient
planning and tracks the surgery instruments. By using can be imaged. The patient is laying on the bed, so the bed
navigation system, the instruments can be shown in the will keep out of the image intensifier from the visual tracking
preoperative and intraoperative images. The navigation for the system. To accurately locate the instruments and the patient,
surgery robot relies on image guiding device. So establishing a we should get position of the X-Ray cube and image
dynamic model for image guide is regarded as a crucial intensifier plane.
technology. The arm of the CARM is semi-circle, the gravity of the
This paper describes the problems of establishing the arm could lead the deformation of itself. We test two
CARM model. By analyzing the structure of the mobile

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978-1-4799-1334-3/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE
positions: anteroposterior view and lateral view by analyzing
the structure of the arm with Ansys.

Fig.2. The deformation of the CARM

We define the coordinate as shown in figure 2. In order to
make sure that the deformation will influence the relative
position, we analyze the deformation of each coordinate.

Fig.3. The deformation of the CARM of each coordinate

TABLE I
The deformation of the CARM(mm)
Anteroposterior View Lateral View
Deformation Deformation
Deformation Deformation
on image on image
on tube on tube
intensifier intensifier
X -4.025*10-3 1.3*10-3 2.829*10-3 -2.2*10-3
Y 6.43*10-3 1.9*10-2 -1.4*10-2 2.2*10-5
Z -4.1*10-5 -4.1*10-5 -3.9*10-5 -3.9*10-5
As the table I shown, the offset of the X-Ray tube and
image intensifier are completely different. The changing of the
relative position of the X-Ray tube and image intensifier may
lead the deviating of the image.
Comparing the relative position, we draw a conclusion
that the deformation of the CARM is diverse by different pose.

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B. Deformation of Image
As the figure1 shows that the C-ARM gets the image
from the X-ray tube and gets image at image intensifier. The
image-forming principle is similar with the principle of image
by pinhole camera [6]. The reason of the deformation of image
is the deformation of the image intensifier and earth magnetic
field [7-8]. By sampling a kirschner wire with the CARM, we
find there is a not very obvious deformation, as shown in Fig.
4.

(c)
Fig.5. The marker on CARM (a, b: X-ray tube; c:image intensifier)
Then we ensure the relationship between the points on X-
ray tube and the points on image intensifier plane. As we have
mentioned, there is a deformation of the arm, so we adopt 5
Fig.4. The deformation of the kirschner wire
degree as a standard of classification of the arm turning model.
IV. ESTABLISHING THE STATIC MODEL As the range of activity of the arm is -40 degree to 90
degree, we divide the arm into 27 models. For each model we
Due to the problems we have mentioned in last chapter,
sample the points on X-ray tube and image intensifier few
we establish the static model by solving the problems of the
times and select Least Squares to build a library. Then we
deformation of the arm and the images.
sample points on X-ray tube and image intensifier again. By
A. Deformation of the Arm
using the model we have established, we calculate the points
CARM is a mobile device and the Arm is also a movable
on image intensifier by using the points on X-ray tube.
objects. Our objective is establishing a model by the points on
The sample time for calculate is 10s and sample
X-ray tube to calculate the image intensifier plane. So we
frequency is 100Hz. Figure 6 shows that the result of one
install some markers which could be identified by Vicon
model which we have established.
Optical Motion Capture system on the X-ray tube and image
intensifier plane, as shown in Fig. 5.

(a) (b)

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 As the Varic CARM has more accuracy, we connect the
edge points of the image at bottom right corner.

Fig.6. Errors of points on the image intensifier with similar degree

We first choose the standard of classification which is 5
degrees, and we compare two model to ensure the standard is
feasible and stable, as shown in Fig.7.

Fig.9. Simulate the line at the edge of the correct target

By calculating the deformation of the points and the line,
there are all less than 0.2mm. It is acceptable for spine surgery
navigation system.
Ⅴ. KINEMATICS ANALYSIS OF THE MOBILE CARM
At present, we adjust CARM manually. But automation
in surgery will be a tendency so that we should analyze the
kinematics of the CARM. We establish joint link coordinate
system as shown in Fig. 10 and show the parameter in Table
II.
z0

z1
x2
y3
x6
Fig.7. Errors of points on the image intensifier with 5 degrees model z4
B. Deformation of Image y5
x7
y6

As figure 3 shows, there is a deformation of the image. z6 y7

We should ensure the deformation has no bad effect on the x0 x1 y2 z3 z5 y4

accuracy of the navigation system. x5
x4 z7
We design a correct target to correct the deformation. We x3
use the Hough Transform to detect the center of the image, as z2
shown in Fig.8. y1
y0

Fig.10. Kinematics model of CARM

TABLE II
PAREMETER OF JOINT LINK
ai-1 αi-1 di θi
1 0 0 d1 0
2 0 -90° d2 -90°
3 0 -90° d3 -90°
4 0 -90° 0 θ4 (0)
5 0 90° d5 0
6 0 0 -1200mm θ6 (90°)
7 0 90° 0 θ7 (0)
By calculating the homogeneous transformation matrices,
we get the kinematical equation of mobile CARM. The
rotation matrix is

[ ]

in which

Fig.8. Correct target in X-ray

r21= sin(o4)*sin(o7) + cos(o4)*cos(o6)*cos(o7)

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 5 5 18 5 -90 25 25 5 5
5 5 20 10 -110 30 30 5 5
15 5 22 10 -130 35 35 15 15
15 5 24 10 -150 40 40 15 15
15 5 26 12 -200 45 45 15 15
. Robot kinematics inverse solution has important
The movement vector is significance of robot position. We simulate the kinematics
inverse solution, the result is shown in Fig.12.
=[ ]

In order to confirm the theoretical feasibility of the robot

kinematics, we use simulation to test, as shown in TABLE III
and Fig.11.

Fig.12. The result of robot kinematics inverse solution

Ⅵ. CONCLUSION
This paper is based on mobile CARM, the deformation of
the arm and the deformation of the image. The error of the arm
is all less than 1mm, and the deformation of image has only a
Fig.11. Kinematics model of CARM as Joint Link little influence on the navigation system. Also the kinematics
TABLE III analysis makes sure that the CARM could use as the robot
Test of Kinematics
Displacement or corner of joint X/mm expection.
d1 d2 d3 θ4 d5 θ6 θ7 Calculated Simulation
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