{"ID":2897051,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.05979","arxiv_id":"2507.05979","title":"AURA-CVC: Autonomous Ultrasound-guided Robotic Assistance for Central Venous Catheterization","abstract":"Purpose: Central venous catheterization (CVC) is a critical medical procedure for vascular access, hemodynamic monitoring, and life-saving interventions. Its success remains challenging due to the need for continuous ultrasound-guided visualization of a target vessel and approaching needle, which is further complicated by anatomical variability and operator dependency. Errors in needle placement can lead to life-threatening complications. While robotic systems offer a potential solution, achieving full autonomy remains challenging. In this work, we propose an end-to-end robotic-ultrasound-guided CVC pipeline, from scan initialization to needle insertion. Methods: We introduce a deep-learning model to identify clinically relevant anatomical landmarks from a depth image of the patient's neck, obtained using RGB-D camera, to autonomously define the scanning region and paths. Then, a robot motion planning framework is proposed to scan, segment, reconstruct, and localize vessels (veins and arteries), followed by the identification of the optimal insertion zone. Finally, a needle guidance module plans the insertion under ultrasound guidance with operator's feedback. This pipeline was validated on a high-fidelity commercial phantom across 10 simulated clinical scenarios. Results: The proposed pipeline achieved 10 out of 10 successful needle placements on the first attempt. Vessels were reconstructed with a mean error of 2.15 \\textit{mm}, and autonomous needle insertion was performed with an error less than or close to 1 \\textit{mm}. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first robotic CVC system demonstrated on a high-fidelity phantom with integrated planning, scanning, and insertion. Experimental results show its potential for clinical translation.","short_abstract":"Purpose: Central venous catheterization (CVC) is a critical medical procedure for vascular access, hemodynamic monitoring, and life-saving interventions. Its success remains challenging due to the need for continuous ultrasound-guided visualization of a target vessel and approaching needle, which is further complicated...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.05979","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2507.05979v2","authors":"[\"Deepak Raina\",\"Lidia Al-Zogbi\",\"Brian Teixeira\",\"Vivek Singh\",\"Ankur Kapoor\",\"Thorsten Fleiter\",\"Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell\",\"Vinciya Pandian\",\"Axel Krieger\"]","published":"2025-07-08T13:36:56Z","proceeding":"cs.RO","tasks":"[\"cs.RO\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}