C-Arm Unleashed: Intuitive Inter-Operative Positioning of C-Arms Using Wearable Gesture Detection

C-arm X-ray systems are commonly used imaging modalities in surgical and interventional procedures. During an intervention, precise/accurate positioning is required to ensure optimal clinical outcomes. Joysticks and buttons are the standard way to control C-arm X-ray imaging systems during an intervention. Typically, they are operated by radiographers (or radiologic technologists) since the physicians are required to hold or secure different interventional devices that are introduced in the patient's body while the c-arm is being repositioned. Miscommunication between the physician and the technician might lead to errors or delays in positioning the imaging equipment. This may result in suboptimal image guidance, longer procedure times, and even clinical mistakes. Different alternative concepts, where physicians are able to control the imaging systems by themselves and without assistance, have already been tested and reported. These approaches, including voice control, were neither robust nor safe enough to be adapted into clinical routine. We introduce a new wearable sEMG- and IMU-based intuitive control concept for imaging systems, especially mobile surgical C-arms, to address the mentioned shortcomings. The developed control algorithm was evaluated in a TAC test with a simulation. Apart from the TAC test, we also assessed workload, usability, likeability, and perceived safety.