An Overview of CyberKnife Radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-invasive procedure that utilizes precisely targeted radiation as an ablative surgical tool. Conventional radiosurgery devices, such as the Gamma Knife, rely upon skeletally attached Stereotactic frames to immobilize the patient and precisely determine the 3D spatial position of a tumor. A relatively new instrument, the CyberKnife (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA), makes it possible to administer radiosurgery without a frame. The CyberKnife localizes clinical targets using a very accurate image-to-image correlation algorithm, and precisely cross-fires high-energy radiation from a lightweight linear accelerator by means of a highly manipulable robotic arm. CyberKnife radiosurgery is an effective alternative to conventional surgery or radiation therapy for a range of tumors and some non-neoplastic disorders. This report will describe CyberKnife technology and oncologic applications in neurosurgery and throughout the body.