MURAB · Project

Robot-Guided Biopsy System That Combines MRI and Ultrasound for Precise Targeting

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Imagine you need a biopsy, but the tiny suspicious spot only shows up on an MRI scan — not on the ultrasound the doctor uses to guide the needle. Right now, that means expensive MRI-guided procedures or, worse, doctors guessing where to aim. MURAB built a robotic arm that remembers exactly where the MRI found the problem, then uses ultrasound to guide a needle to that exact spot — even though your body shifts and tissue deforms between scans. Think of it like GPS for the inside of your body, matching two different maps so the doctor never misses the target.

By the numbers

Clinical applications validated (breast cancer and muscle disease diagnostics)

Consortium partners

Countries involved (AT, DE, IT, NL)

Total project deliverables

Demo deliverables with manufactured hardware

The business problem

What needed solving

Millions of biopsies are performed each year, but many small lesions that show up clearly on MRI are invisible under ultrasound — forcing doctors to use expensive MRI-guided procedures or risk missing the target entirely. This leads to repeat procedures, delayed diagnoses, and higher costs for hospitals and patients. There is no widely available system that automatically transfers an MRI-identified target to ultrasound-guided needle placement while compensating for tissue deformation.

The solution

What was built

The MURAB team built a robotic biopsy guidance system with 3 key manufactured components: a robot flange, a robotic head adapter for mounting to a robotic arm, and an intelligent transducer with force sensing and software interfacing. The system uses a technique called Tissue Active Slam that fuses MRI and ultrasound images while compensating for tissue deformation using elastography, across 24 total deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Medical device companies manufacturing biopsy or ultrasound guidance systemsHospital radiology departments and breast screening centresSurgical robotics companies expanding into diagnosticsMedical imaging companies looking to add robotic guidance featuresHealth technology investors scouting EU-validated medtech

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Companies producing biopsy guidance systems or ultrasound equipment

If you are a medical device manufacturer dealing with the limitation that many small lesions visible on MRI cannot be targeted under ultrasound guidance — this project developed a robotic system with an intelligent force-sensing transducer and image-fusion software that matches MRI targets to real-time ultrasound. The system was validated across 2 clinical applications: breast cancer diagnostics and muscle disease diagnostics. With partners like KUKA and Siemens already in the consortium, the integration path into existing equipment lines is mapped out.

Hospital networks and diagnostic centres

enterprise

Target: Radiology departments and breast screening centres

If you run a diagnostic centre struggling with costly MRI-guided biopsy procedures and missed lesions during ultrasound-only targeting — this project created a robot-assisted workflow that lets clinicians identify targets in MRI and then navigate precisely with a cheaper ultrasound probe. The system includes a custom robotic head adapter and force sensor designed for the ultrasound transducer. This could reduce the need for repeat biopsies and expensive MRI suite time.

Surgical robotics and automation

mid-size

Target: Companies developing robotic-assisted surgical or diagnostic tools

If you are a robotics company looking to expand into medical diagnostics — this project produced 24 deliverables including a manufactured robot flange, a final robotic head design, and an intelligent transducer with force sensing and software interfacing. The core technique called Tissue Active Slam compensates for tissue deformation using elastography, a capability transferable to other procedures beyond biopsy. The consortium included KUKA, a leading robotics manufacturer.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project data does not include licensing terms or pricing. Since MURAB was a Research and Innovation Action with Siemens and KUKA as industrial partners, commercial terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator (Universiteit Twente) and the relevant industrial partners. SciTransfer can facilitate that introduction.

Is this ready for industrial-scale production?

The project delivered manufactured hardware — a robot flange, a robotic head adapter, and a force-sensing intelligent transducer with software interfacing. These are functional prototypes validated in a research setting with 2 clinical applications targeted. Moving to serial production would require regulatory clearance (CE/MDR) and manufacturing scale-up with an industrial partner like KUKA or Siemens.

What is the IP situation — can we license this?

As an EU-funded RIA project, IP typically stays with the partners who generated it. With 7 consortium partners across 4 countries, IP rights may be distributed. The coordinator Universiteit Twente would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions. Key IP likely covers the Tissue Active Slam technique and the robotic head design.

Does this require regulatory approval before use?

Yes. Any robotic biopsy guidance system used on patients requires medical device certification — CE marking under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). The project focused on research validation, so regulatory submission would be a next step for any commercialising partner.

How long before this could be deployed in a hospital?

The project ran from 2016 to 2020 and produced working hardware prototypes. Based on available project data, clinical validation was conducted for breast cancer and muscle disease diagnostics. Deployment timeline depends on regulatory approval and manufacturing partnerships, likely requiring additional development cycles.

Can this integrate with existing hospital MRI and ultrasound equipment?

The system was designed to work with standard MRI imaging and ultrasound probes — the robotic arm with its custom transducer adapter bridges the two modalities. Siemens, a major medical imaging manufacturer, was a consortium partner, which suggests integration with existing Siemens equipment was considered in the design.

Is there ongoing support or further development planned?

The project officially closed in June 2020. Based on available project data, follow-up activities would depend on the consortium partners. Universiteit Twente and the industrial partners may be continuing development independently. SciTransfer can check the current status with the coordinator.

Consortium

Who built it

The MURAB consortium brings together 7 partners from 4 countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands), with a 29% industry ratio. The two industrial partners are heavyweights: KUKA, a global leader in industrial and medical robotics, and Siemens, one of the world's largest medical imaging companies. The remaining 4 university partners and 1 other organisation provided the research muscle. For a business looking at this technology, the presence of KUKA and Siemens signals that the engineering was designed with real manufacturing and market deployment in mind — not just lab curiosity. The coordinator, Universiteit Twente in the Netherlands, is well-known for its robotics and medical technology programmes.

UNIVERSITEIT TWENTECoordinator · NL
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIENparticipant · AT
SIEMENS NEDERLAND NVparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONAparticipant · IT
STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEITparticipant · NL
KUKA DEUTSCHLAND GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Universiteit Twente (Netherlands) — SciTransfer can provide the coordinator's direct contact details

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this MRI-ultrasound robotic biopsy system or integrating it into your product line? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the MURAB team and help structure the conversation.

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