Cyberknife & Tomotherapy
Radiosurgery | Tomotherapy
Overview | Cyberknife
Overview
Cyberknife Radiosurgery
What is CyberKnife™ stereotactic radiosurgery?
The CyberKnife™ system is a radiosurgery device
with a linear accelerator (LINAC), which produces the radiation, mounted
on a robotic arm. Through the use of image guidance cameras, the CyberKnife
system locates the position of the tumor. The LINAC attached to the robotic
arm is then used to deliver multiple beams of radiation that converge at
the tumor site. Thus, the tumor receives a concentrated dose of radiation
while minimizing exposure to surrounding normal tissue. With sub•millimeter
accuracy, the CyberKnife is used to treat vascular abnormalities,
tumors, functional disorders, and cancers of the body. It is now
being used for tumors in the lung, prostate and liver.
How does CyberKnife™ stereotactic
radiosurgery work?
Multiple radiation beams enter the body from different targeting positions
and angles. All the beams intersect within the tumor or lesion where the
cumulative dose is high enough to destroy the cancer cells.
Cyberknife
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Cyberknife
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Treatment room configuration
1) Image Guidance
2) LINAC mounted on robotic arm
3) Image Guidance
Multiple radiation beams enter the body from different
targeting positions and angles.
How is the CyberKnife™ system different from
other stereotactic radiosurgery systems?
First, the CyberKnife™ system uses the combination
of a robotic arm, LINAC, and image guidance. Because of the flexibility
of the robotic arm, the system is able to reach areas of the body that
are unreachable by other radiosurgery systems.
Second, unlike most stereotactic radiosurgery systems,
the CyberKnife system
is able to locate the position of the tumor within the body without
the use of an invasive stereotactic head frame.
Third, the CyberKnife™ system compensates for
patient movement during treatment, constantly ensuring accurate targeting.
Treatment delivery overview
The CyberKnife™ Stereotactic Radiosurgery System
is the only radiosurgery system with
- a compact 6-MV linear accelerator,
- a computer•controlled
robotic arm with six degrees of freedom, and
- image guidance that
eliminates the need for a rigid stereotactic frame and enables
treatment of extra-cranial sites.
This combination of technology provides an essential advantage:
unmatched maneuverability in targeting.
Compared to conventional stereotactic
radiosurgery systems, the CyberKnife system provides:
- increased
access to and coverage of any target volume
- broader range
of clinical applications including
- ability to treat lesions in
and around the cranium that are unreachable with other systems,
for example, in the low posterior fossa and foramen magnum
- enhanced
ability to avoid critical structures
- capability to treat lesions
in the neck and spine
- ability to treat larger tumors
- ability to treat tumors
that are inoperable
- ability to treat lesions throughout the body
- delivery
of highly conformal dose distributions
- option of fractionating treatment
- potential to target
multiple tumors at different locations during a single treatment
What are the patient benefits?
- Better
quality of life during and after treatment
- Improved comfort
due to the elimination of the invasive head frame
- Short hospital
stay
- Few visits to hospital
- Short recovery period
- Treatment is available for
tumors considered inoperable by other surgery and stereotactic
radiosurgery methods
- Reduces the risk of complications such as
infections, hemorrhage, and the loss of hearing and feeling that
are sometimes associated with conventional surgery
- Patient scans
can be scheduled at patient's convenience day(s) before treatment
- Stereotactic
radiosurgery treatment of neurological diseases is usually covered
by Medicare and most private insurance companies
- Stereotactic radiosurgery
offers patients better quality of life during and after treatment
- Improved comfort due to the elimination of an
invasive head or body frame
- Short hospital stays, if any, or usually
performed as an out-patient procedure
What is the Cyberknife™ system used to treat?
The CyberKnife™ system is used to treat, but
is not limited to, the following tumors, lesions, and conditions.
Tumors and lesions
Malignant tumors
Primary (e.g., astrocytomas, carcinomas, gliomas, lung, pancreas)
Metastases (brain and bony)
Benign tumors
Acoustic neuromas
Craniopharyngiomas
Hemangioblastomas
Schwannomas
Meningiomas
Pituitary adenomas
Vascular malformations
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM's)
Cavernous malformations
Functional disorders
Trigeminal neuralgia
Extracranial Tumors and Lesions
Base of skull
Neck
Cervical Spine
Thoracic Spine
Lumbar Spine
Pancreas
Liver
Lungs
Other lesions, tumors, and conditions anywhere in the body when radiation
treatment is indicated
The Patient's Experience During a Typical Cyberknife Radiosurgery Procedure
The patient is scheduled for a convenient visit to the treatment center
for a planning session. This will require creating a custom molded immobilization
device. This simple immobilization device assists in keeping the patient
still during treatment and is quite painless. A CT and possible MRI are performed
for treatment planning purposes. After the imaging studies, the patient returns
home. Some patients will require special markers called fiducials to be placed
prior to the initial setup. If the patient is undergoing spine radiosurgery
using the Cyberknife, implantation of gold seed fiducials might be necessary.
This procedure is also done on an outpatient basis.
Next Visit
Patient receives the first treatment, which is usually one to two hours,
and returns home that day.
Following Visit
If needed, patient receives additional treatment and returns home afterwards.
Some patients may require multiple treatments, depending on the size or location
of the lesion.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery offers patients better quality
of life during and after treatment
- improved comfort due to the
elimination of an invasive head or body frame
- short hospital stays,
if any, or usually performed as an out•patient
procedure
Cyberknife & Tomotherapy Radiosurgery | Tomotherapy
Overview | Cyberknife Overview
For consultation appointments with Dr. Duma or
for more information regarding his brain tumor, GammaKnife radiosurgery,
and Parkinson's Disease programs at Hoag Memorial Presbyterian
Hospital in Newport Beach, California (Orange County), please contact:
949•764•5938 or Toll Free: 866•446•2445
Or E•mail Dr. Duma directly: drduma@cduma.com
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