The CyberKnife System is the only fully robotic radiation delivery system. It treats cancerous and non-cancerous tumors and other targets, precisely delivering radiation anywhere in the body. This technology for humans has now been expanded to use for animals as well. Traditionally, the normal process involves up to 20 re-visits to a radiation therapy treatment, but the CyberKnife system allows the entire treatment to be only 2-3 visits.
What is the CyberKnife System?
The CyberKnife System is a non-invasive2 treatment for cancerous and non-cancerous tumors and other conditions where radiation therapy is indicated. It is used to treat conditions throughout the body, including tumors of the prostate, lung, brain, spine, head and neck, liver, pancreas, kidney, and certain gynecologic indications, and can be an alternative to surgery or for some patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors. What makes the CyberKnife System unique is that it is the only fully robotic radiation delivery system. The robotic design, coupled with real-time imaging, enables the CyberKnife System to deliver a maximum dose of radiation directly to the tumor from many different angles with sub-millimeter precision. The CyberKnife System does this by tracking and adjusting for tumor or patient movement during treatment to minimize radiation exposure to healthy organs and tissues.
Precision Through Robotic Architecture
The CyberKnife System uses a robot that bends and moves around the patient. It can approach the target from hundreds of unique angles, significantly expanding the possible positions from which radiation beams can be delivered. The more degrees of freedom – the angles and points in space from which to approach the tumor – the better the radiation beams can be sculpted to avoid critical anatomical structures.
Precision Through Motion Management
Many things happen from the time a patient has been set up on the treatment couch and radiation is delivered. The patient could change their position. The patient could cough. Muscles tense and relax. Fluids and gasses displace internal organs. The patient breathes. The CyberKnife System is designed to accommodate all forms of patient and tumor motion, even while the treatment is being delivered. With its motion management technology, the CyberKnife System enables smaller treatment margins around the tumor, minimizing the amount of healthy tissue exposed to high-dose radiation.
CyberKnife Motion Management
The CyberKnife System uses advanced technologies to track tumors anywhere in the body, while its unique robotic design keeps the radiation on target even while the tumor moves. Before delivering the radiation beam, the CyberKnife System verifies the exact tumor position and adjusts the robot to precisely target the tumor. This ensures radiation is delivered to where the tumor is, not to where it was moments before.
Is there any pain associated with CyberKnife treatment?
CyberKnife treatment provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have an inoperable or surgically complex tumors. The procedure is non-invasive, meaning there is no incision or cutting involved and therefore, no surgical recovery or discomfort. Often our clients will report that their pets seems more comfortable after CyberKnife treatment, likely due to reduction in the size of the tumor and less tumor related side effects.
How long will my pet be required to stay at the hospital?
Most CyberKnife treatments are performed on an outpatient basis. Pets usually need to stay at the hospital for about 3 hours while their treatments are performed.
What are the side effects associated with CyberKnife treatment?
The side effects associated with CyberKnife are typically very minimal to absent, which is one of the great advantages of CyberKnife therapy over conventional radiation therapy. Any side effects will depend on the site of your pet’s tumor and what normal healthy organs surround the tumor. This will be discussed in detail when you meet with Dr. Haney.
Why can CyberKnife radiotherapy treatments be accomplished in 1-3 treatments instead of 16-20 treatments that are required for conventional radiation therapy?
CyberKnife radiation therapy is delivered so precisely and accurately to the target (your pet’s tumor) that we are able to deliver an entire dose of radiation in far fewer treatments. The reason for this is because a very low dose of radiation is being received by the surrounding healthy tissue, enabling treatments to be delivered in a significantly shorter period of time.
After CyberKnife treatments, will my pet’s tumor shrink or disappear?
The effects of CyberKnife treatment vary and may occur gradually and over time. The time frame can range anywhere from days, months or years depending on your pet’s medical condition. Some tumors may reduce in size slower than others, while others may simply stop growing. Four to six months after CyberKnife treatment, patients may have a repeat CT scan to clearly identify if the tumor treated was reduced in size.