CyberKnife radiosurgery is a treatment option for tumors/ abnormalities of the brain, neck and spine. It can also be used on tumors in other parts of the body, for eg. lung, pancreas, liver, prostate, kidney, etc. It combines robotics and advanced image guidance, which adjust for a patient's movements and map the precise location of the patient and the lesion during treatment. It does not use the head frame used by other radiosurgery methods such as the Gamma Knife.
It can be used to treat both primary and metastatic tumors definitively or as a supplement to surgery. It can also be used to treat patients who have inoperable tumors or who underwent previous irradiation.
PROCEDURE
Imaging procedures, which may include CT/MRI/PET CT, are carried out to determine the exact size, shape and location of the tumour. The image data are digitally transferred to the CyberKnife System’s dedicated treatment planning workstation and final treatment plan is prepared. In some patients (non head lesions), small metal markers may be implanted near the tumor to enable the system to track the tumor position.
CyberKnife uses pencil beams of radiation, which can be directed to any part of the body from any direction with the help of a robotic arm. The system tracks the tumour, detects any movement of the tumour or patient as with respiration, and automatically corrects its positioning. It then targets the tumour with multiple beams of high-energy radiation and destroys abnormal tissue without causing any damage to the surrounding areas.
Instead of a head frame, a non-invasive, customized face mask or a body mould is prepared to help position the body. On the day of treatment, the patient lies on a table and wears the face mask or immobilizer while the CyberKnife delivers radiation.
DURATION
The treatment generally lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. A patient may require one to five treatment sessions. It is commonly done as an outpatient procedure.
RECOVERY
The results may not show up immediately. In most cases it will initially stop further growth of tumor, and then gradually decrease in size. Normal activity can be resumed once the treatment sessions are completed.
RISKS
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Swelling/Inflammation at the site