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Features of the CyberKnife
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Advantages
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Frameless system
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Does not require a head frame screwed into the skull for immobilization, avoiding the pain, headache, nausea and risk of infection seen at times with stereotactic frames. Instead, a non-invasive thermoplastic head mask and image guidance allows stereotactic immobilization.
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Flexible, frameless system, allowing single session or multi-session treatments
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Frameless design provides the flexibility to perform radiosurgery in either a single day or over multiple days which allows your treating physicians to decide the safest and most effective course of CyberKnife treatment.
When constrained by frame-based systems requiring treatment in one day, some tumors are untreatable, or would require under-dosing of the tumor (risking tumor recurrence) or over-dosing of critical structures (risking injury to the brain).
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Proven accuracy in both the brain and in extra-cranial sites
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Accuracy (<1mm ) is equivalent to rigid, frame-based systems. Recent total clinical accuracy for spine 0.61mm.*
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Able to treat both intra-cranial and extra-cranial sites with stereotactic accuracy
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Your physicians have the ability to treat brain tumors, as well as tumors of the lung, spine, pancreas, liver, prostate, and other sites.
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Multi-modality image fusion
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Your physicians have the option to use the best imaging study for your tumor, including CT, 4-dimensional CT, MRI and PET scans.
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Image guidance, tracking tumors that move with respiration
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Movement of tumors during breathing, such as in the lung, pancreas, and liver, is automatically tracked and compensated, allowing minimization of treatment of normal structures and decreased toxicity of therapy.
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Safely treat tumors that were previously untreatable
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Even in the setting of prior radiotherapy, your physicians may be able to re-treat tumors near the spine and spinal cord.
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Linear accelerator-based treatment
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Megavoltage x-rays are used to treat the target, over 4 times more powerful than the energy from natural sources such as Cobalt. No need to dispose of radioactivity.
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