Understanding Gamma Knife vs. Cyber Knife

Stereotactic radiosurgery

Radiation beams – high dose radiation is give to a specific target

Minimal dose to surrounding tissues

Idea is destruction of the tumor while sparing functioning of adjacent organs / tissues

Gamma Knife

Performs stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial lesions

Used for both benign and malignant tumors

Head frame is required

Generally limited to a single dose

Cyber Knife

Capable of treating brain lesions

Can be used anywhere in the body, including structures that move with respiration

Does not require a head frame, patient is affixed to the table with a firm plastic mask

Common conditions for which SRS would be used:

Brain Mets

Acoustic neuroma/Vestibular schwannoma

Meningioma

Pituitary adenoma

Glioma or chondrosarcoma

Ocular melanoma

Nasopharynx carcinoma

ONCOLOGY ISSUES ACCC VOL 21 No 5