Available Technology

Radiosurgery has had a long history of success in achieving local control rates for metastatic disease in the brain. This treatment has recently been extended to other areas of the body and helps achieve local control for patients suffering from unresectable tumors of the liver and lung. The Cyberknife System is the only radiosurgery system in the world that can treat anywhere in the body to sub-millimeter accuracy. In addition, it uses a Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm which is considered the gold standard of dosimetry. The Cyberknife System uses live patient motion tracking and a robotic X-ray unit to deliver doses much higher than traditional fractionated Radiation Therapy.

Throughout the course of treatment, a patient’s anatomy may change due to any number of factors including: weight change, regression of local disease, and reduced tissue swelling following surgery. Tracking these changes requires sophisticated imaging algorithms. Deformable registration is the best way to precisely track radiation dose despite weight fluctuations or changes in internal organ geometry. In addition, we use this technology during the initial planning stages of treatment by adapting the CT and PET images taken during diagnosis. This eliminates excess radiation to healthy tissue from repeat scans.