What is Cyberknife?
Cyberknife is a robotic radiosurgery system for treating cancer in the whole body. It’s also called the “space knife.” This system uses focused radiation beams to treat cancerous tissues in the brain or other parts of the body. It does this at high doses. At the same time, it helps protect healthy tissues from harmful radiation effects.
A computer-controlled robotic arm moves the treatment device around the patient. This way, the tumor is hit from hundreds of angles.
There are several parts to a Cyberknife device:
- A system that finds the tumor using imaging guidance,
- Computer-controlled robot and robotic patient positioning system.
Cyberknife is an advanced linear accelerator combined with industrial robotic devices. It’s a form of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). It focuses high-dose radiation beams on cancerous lesions in the brain or other hard-to-reach areas.
Acıbadem Maslak Hospital has a deal with the Social Security Institution for Cyberknife treatments.
The Cyberknife radiosurgery system has a 140 kg linear accelerator that makes 6 MV X-Rays. It also has a robotic patient bed that moves in 6 directions. Both parts are linked to an industrial robot with 6 joints. The robot’s precision is 0.2 mm.
Unlike traditional radiotherapy, CyberKnife uses continuous imaging and a guiding system with a computer-controlled robot. This method irradiates tumors precisely.
Cyberknife is used for lung cancers, prostate cancer, brain tumors, head and neck cancers, vertebral tumors, and pancreatic cancers.
It’s also good for lung and liver tumors that other methods can’t treat. It works for a few metastases or when tumors move due to breathing or bowel movements.
It’s effective in spinal diseases, which are very sensitive to radiation. The treatment can be repeated for tumors that were previously irradiated but have relapsed at the same location.
Cyberknife can be used in all lesions of the brain and head and neck, without any location or size limitations.
It’s not just for single-session high-dose treatments. It also allows for stereotactic surgery for tumors near risky organs.
Cyberknife is used for treating benign and malignant brain tumors, metastases, arteriovenous malformations, and certain functional diseases.
In Certain Tumors Which Were Previously Untreatable or Those Which Can Only Be Treated With Disabling Surgery;
Cyberknife radiotherapy system is used for such tumors. For example, it can treat tumors around the eye or those requiring the removal of the eye. It’s also good for radio-sensitive spinal cord spinal diseases.
In Recurrent Tumors at Previously Irradiated Targets;
Cyberknife is used for patients with a tumor that relapsed at the same body part despite past radiotherapy. A second therapy can be performed for such tumors.
In Cyberknife therapy, a plastic mask is applied to the patient’s face. The treatment is non-surgical. The patient lies on a robot-operated table that moves in 6 directions during treatment.
An image capturing system is used in Cyberknife to locate and track the tumor. It adjusts the patient’s position if needed due to tumor movement. This system allows for treating lung and liver tumors that move with breathing.
The patient doesn’t need to hold their breath or breathe regularly during treatment.
The system compares instant images with pre-treatment Computerized Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging data. It reviews the tumor’s imaging-based coordinates on a computer. This way, the radiation dose is adjusted. Minor patient movements don’t affect the treatment.
The treatment focuses on the tumor’s margins, minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
In the CyberKnife system, a computer-operated robot moves the treatment device around the patient. The tumor is irradiated from hundreds of angles. The system’s precision is very high, 0.95 mm, when targeting the tumor.
It’s used for lung cancers, prostate cancer, brain tumors, head and neck cancers, vertebral tumors, and pancreatic cancers.
Yttrium-90 SIR-Spheres can treat lung and liver tumors that other methods can’t handle. It’s also good for a few metastases or when tumors move because of breathing or bowel movements.
It works well for spinal diseases, which are very sensitive to radiation. The treatment can be done twice for tumors that came back at the same spot after being irradiated before.