Step by Step

After the patient’s primary care physician and the team of physicians at CyberKnife of Texas agree the patient is a candidate, a three-step process begins.

Step 1:

Imaging A soft custom plastic mask (for brain tumors) or body mold (for tumors elsewhere in the body) is made for the patient. The process is simple and painless. Then a CT scan is taken so the physicians can identify the exact size, shape and location of the tumor, along with surrounding tissues to avoid.

Step 2:

Planning The team of physicians at CyberKnife of Texas use advanced software to plan the number, intensity and direction of the radiation beams that will be used to treat the tumor.

Step 3:

Treatment In an outpatient procedure, the patient is fitted with the custom mask or body mold and asked to lie still. The imaging system confirms the precise location of the tumor before treatment starts. A linear accelerator, controlled by robotic arm, delivers radiation beams from 50 to 300 different positions around the patient. The entire process is painless and typically takes 30 to 90 minutes. If staged or fractionated therapy is indicated, the patient returns for additional visits and treatments.

Afterward, the patient typically may leave and resume normal activities.