What is CyberKnife?
Cyber Knife is a linear accelerator integrated into industrial robotic devices. It can be used in every part of the body for cancer treatment. The system uses radiation beams that enable cancerous tissue to be treated with high doses.
To define it briefly; Cyber Knife is a radiosurgical system that can be used for cancer that develops in every part of the body, can reach cancerous lesions that are difficult to access, and uses high-dose radiation beams.
Cyber Knife has a simultaneous imaging system and continues imaging and guidance throughout the treatment, making target identification with the lowest error rate. In this highly sensitive technology, malignant tumors can be terminated without damaging the surrounding tissue.
How is Cyber Knife treatment done?
Cyber Knife treatment is a 3-stage treatment.
Scanning: A CT scan is done at this stage to discover the size and location of the tumor. MRI, PET or angiography techniques can be used for some tumors.
Planning: Treatment planning is made with the data obtained during the scanning. The radiation dose to be used in this process, the drugs to be used before the actual treatment and the treatment day are determined.
Treatment day: Radiosurgery day with Cyber Knife. Before the treatment, the drugs prescribed by the doctor should be used regularly. Apart from this, the patient can continue his daily life until the moment of treatment. The treatment takes a maximum of 90 minutes and takes place as follows.
- No anesthesia is applied to the patient.
- The patient lies down on the treatment table and enters the device.
- The patient doesn’t need to hold their breath or breathe in a special rhythm.
- The device can identify movement and breathing and the patient can be comfortable.
- The device follows breathing and movement and focuses on the target with minimum stumble.
- The device rotates around the patient and sends rays to the target tumor from all angles.
What are the side effects of Cyber Knife?
Some patients may experience the following side effects after treatment:
- Weakness
- Breathing difficulties.
- Cough.
- Hemoptysis (spitting up blood)
- Radiation pneumonia.
- Radiation fibrosis.
- Complications from reference marker placement.
These side effects are temporary and treatable.
For which diseases is Cyber Knife used?
Cyber Knife is mostly used in the treatment of brain tumors today. In addition, it is also used in lung, breast and liver tumors where respiratory following is required. Cyber Knife is also used for tumors carried by bowel movements and circulation.
- It can be used in recurrent tumors.
- It can be used for tumors adjacent to risky organs.
- It can be used in previously incurable tumors.
- It can be used in radiation sensitive spine and spinal cord diseases.
- It can be used for tumors around the eyes.
In short, it can be used for benign and malignant tumors that can take place in the whole body.
