March 15, 2007 — According to a new study by Johns Hopkins University and UCLA Medical Center, surgeons using the Mazor SpineAssist miniature robotic surgical guidance system experience up to a 98 percent decrease in x-ray exposure compared to those using conventional minimally invasive techniques.

The study also demonstrated that the SpineAssist’s surgical guidance enhanced implant placement precision 2.5 times over freehand placement. The research, conducted on cadavers, took place at the Cleveland Clinic, Texas Back Institute, Johns Hopkins University and UCLA Medical Center with 15 spine surgeons from throughout the US. It utilized minimally invasive and conventional techniques to place a total of 217 screws for spinal pedicular fixation in lumbar and thoracic fusion procedures. One group of surgeons worked with the guidance of the SpineAssist system, while another group performed the same procedures freehand.

Radiation exposure dosimeters indicated that surgeons operating conventionally were exposed to radiation levels an average of 51 times greater than the surgeons using SpineAssist.

At the same time, with SpineAssist’s guidance, placements deviated by an average of only 1.1 mm from surgical plan site. Placements made using freehand techniques deviated an average of 2.8 mm. which is 2.5 times higher than with SpineAssist’s guidance.

Further, the SpineAssist surgeon group, consisting of experienced and inexperienced users, differed from one another in screw placement by only 0.5 mm, suggesting that the device enhances implant placement across all levels of surgical experience.

The SpineAssist system is designed to enable surgeons to plan precise locations for spinal fusion screw placement and related surgical interventions. It consists of a miniature robot, a patented Hover-T Bridge, which allows the robot to glide freely above the patient’s spine, and a workstation running advanced surgical planning software.


Related Content

News | Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

June 17, 2025 — Royal Philips has announced the global launch of the Flash Ultrasound System 5100 POC — a new point-of ...

Time June 19, 2025
arrow
News | Lung Imaging

June 18, 2025 — Exo recently announced that now included on its Exo Iris is the first ever FDA 510(k) cleared AI for ...

Time June 18, 2025
arrow
News | Artificial Intelligence

April 16, 2025 — An artificial intelligence (AI) program trained to review images from a common medical test can detect ...

Time April 16, 2025
arrow
News | Ultrasound Women's Health

April 11, 2025 — Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a safe and accurate diagnostic imaging option for pregnant women ...

Time April 11, 2025
arrow
News | Focused Ultrasound Therapy

March 31, 2025 — Neuropathic pain affects up to 10 percent of the global population and can be challenging to manage ...

Time April 02, 2025
arrow
News | Breast Imaging

March 20, 2025 — GE HealthCare has launched Invenia Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) Premium, the latest 3D ultrasound ...

Time March 21, 2025
arrow
News | X-Ray

March 18, 2025 — GE HealthCare recently announced a collaboration with NVIDIA expanding the existing relationship ...

Time March 19, 2025
arrow
News | Breast Imaging

Feb. 26, 2025 — iCAD, Inc. a provider of clinically proven AI-powered cancer detection solutions, and Koios Medical, a ...

Time March 03, 2025
arrow
News | Focused Ultrasound Therapy

Jan. 8, 2025 - EDAP TMS SA, a supplier of robotic energy-based therapies, has announced that the first patient has been ...

Time January 08, 2025
arrow
News | Radiology Business

July 19, 2024 — GE HealthCare announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Intelligent Ultrasound Group PLC’s ...

Time July 19, 2024
arrow
Subscribe Now