A image guided motion scaled surgical robotic system (160) employs a surgical robotic arm (168) and an image guided motion scaled surgical controller (162). In operation, responsive to an input signal indicative of a user defined motion of the surgical robotic arm (168) within an anatomical region, the image guided motion scaled surgical controller (162) controls an actuated motion of the surgical robotic arm (168) within the anatomical region based on a map (164) of a motion scale delineated within an imaging of the anatomical region.