CyberKnife^® VSI™ Robotic Radiosurgery System

The CyberKnife VSI System enables our radiation oncologists to deliver high doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy to a broad range of tumors throughout the body, including the brain, spine, lungs, prostate, liver, pancreas and kidneys.

How Does CyberKnife Work?

Prior to the procedure, a high-resolution CT scan determines the size, shape and location of the tumor. The image data is then digitally transferred to the CyberKnife System’s workstation, where we precisely plan treatment to match the desired radiation dose to the exact tumor location.

Once treatment planning is complete, the patient is comfortably positioned on a cushioned table and the system’s computer-controlled robot slowly moves around the table, targeting radiation to the tumor from various angles while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.

The system’s sophisticated software allows us to track the tumor and continually adjust the radiation treatment to account for patient or tumor movement.

Each treatment session lasts between 30 to 90 minutes for one to five days, depending on the location and type of tumor being treated.

Features of the CyberKnife VSI System

The following are features of the CyberKnife VSI System:

• Accurate Targeting of Tumors: The system’s continual image guidance software allows us to deliver high radiation doses with pinpoint accuracy, while automatically correcting for tumor movement.
• Precise, High Radiation Dose: The system’s advanced robotic mobility enables us to treat tumors with high radiation doses from a variety of angles without interruption.
• Less Damage to Surrounding Healthy Tissue: Since radiation beams adjust in real-time to the patient’s breathing cycle, the system is able to precisely target the tumor with less damage to healthy surrounding tissue.
• Added Protection for the Lungs: The system’s real-time lung movement tracker enables us to radiate a tumor in conjunction with the movement of the lungs during breathing.
• Greater Comfort During Treatment: The RoboCouch^® Patient Positioning System, a cushioned, robotically aligned table, provides greater comfort for the patient during treatment.
• Shorter Treatment Times: Patients can typically complete treatment in 1 to 5 days versus several weeks for traditional radiation therapy.

Potential Benefits of CyberKnife

CyberKnife provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or who may be looking for an alternative to surgery.

The following are the potential benefits of treatment with the CyberKnife VSI System:

• No incision
• No pain
• No anesthesia or hospitalization
• No invasive head or body frame
• Greater comfort (patient can breathe normally during treatment)
• Little or no recovery time
• Immediate return to normal activities

Cancer Types Treated with CyberKnife

Patients with the following cancer types who meet appropriate criteria may be a candidate for CyberKnife:

• Bone Cancer
• Brain Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Head & Neck Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Ovarian Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Spinal Cancer
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma
• Throat Cancer
• Uterine Cancer

Where Is CyberKnife Being Offered?

In July 2012, CTCA at Southwestern Regional Medical Center (Southwestern) in Tulsa, Oklahoma became the first CTCA hospital to add the CyberKnife VSI System to our radiation therapy treatment options.

“The CyberKnife VSI is the latest CyberKnife technology available and offers faster, higher radiation energy, as well as upgraded software. Patients also receive the benefit of the RoboCouch, which is a couch that is controlled by a robot and allows us to make adjustments during treatment,” says Dr. Michael Payne, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology.