A lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, is a common clinical procedure that uses a hollow needle to penetrate the spinal canal and access the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This procedure is used to diagnose serious conditions of the nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis or to inject anesthetic medicines or chemotherapy.
A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Clear Guide Medical, Inc., a company specializing in imaging devices, developed a new ultrasound navigation system that could provide accurate, real-time, and intuitive needle insertion planning and guidance for lumbar puncture procedures. The results of their preclinical study were published in IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics.