x-knife, which lasted for one month as a course at the department of radiotherapy

by Germaine Jacobi PhD 8 min read

What is XRT in radiotherapy?

May 18, 2014 · Radiosurgery by X-knife & Cyberknife. Radiation Therapy involves the use of ionizing radiation (commonly X rays) for the treatment of malignant and some benign tumors. Since the discovery of X rays in the late 19th century, the technology of radiation delivery, understanding of tumor biology and radiobiology has grown by leaps and bounds.

What is the meaning of “radiotherapy”?

Outcome: The lesions were well-controlled, and the headache of the patient was significantly relieved one month after radiotherapy. The total survival time of the patients was 17 months from the beginning of the Cyberknife treatment.

What happens during external radiotherapy?

Oct 15, 2021 · Conclusion: The present case report demonstrates that CyberKnife therapy plays a significant role in the repeated radiotherapy for multiple metastatic brain tumors. CKSRT can be used as a salvage method in recurrent multiple brain metastases. Keywords: case report, CyberKnife, multiple brain metastases, Re-irradiation, stereotactic radiosurgery.

Where can I find a good book on radiation therapy physics?

Mar 14, 2022 · The CyberKnife (Accuray, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is an image-guided, robotic radiosurgery system. It consists of a 6-MV compact linear accelerator (LINAC) used in conventional radiotherapy. First LINAC designed for radiosurgery was developed with a 3-dimensional treatment planning software called X-knife at Harvard 2).

How long is a typical course of radiotherapy?

Courses of treatment

The course of treatment usually lasts between 1 and 7 weeks. The individual radiotherapy doses are often called "fractions".
Nov 4, 2021

How long is CyberKnife radiation?

CyberKnife treatment can be completed in as little as 4-5 sessions over 1-2 weeks, compared to 30-40 sessions over 8-10 weeks with conventional radiation therapy.

What is a normal course of radiotherapy?

Typically, people have treatment sessions 5 times per week, Monday through Friday. This schedule usually continues for 3 to 9 weeks, depending on your personal treatment plan. This type of radiation therapy targets only the tumor.

What kind of cancer is CyberKnife used for?

The CyberKnife System is the first and only radiotherapy device that brings true robotic precision and the ability to track, detect and adapt for tumor motion in real-time, to the treatment of lung cancer.

Is Gamma Knife a surgery?

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is called surgery because the end result is similar to removing a lesion with surgery. The beams of radiation are precisely focused to reach the lesion, with little effect on nearby healthy tissue. The Gamma Knife system is just one type of radiosurgery system.

What does a CyberKnife do?

The CyberKnife allows patients to lie comfortably on the procedure table without anesthesia while the robotic arm moves, without touching them, to treat all areas of the tumor. Recovery is often immediate, given its low risk of complications and damage to healthy tissue.

Why do you get radiotherapy for 1 week?

One-week course of radiotherapy could benefit women with early stage breast cancer, study finds. A one-week course of radiotherapy in fewer but larger daily doses was found to be as safe and effective as standard three-week therapy for women following surgery for early stage breast cancer.Apr 28, 2020

How many days a week is radiation therapy?

The total dose of external radiation therapy is usually divided into smaller doses called fractions. Most patients get radiation treatments daily, 5 days a week (Monday through Friday) for 5 to 8 weeks. Weekend rest breaks allow time for normal cells to recover.Apr 10, 2022

How many sessions of radiotherapy is normal?

Most people have 5 treatments each week (1 treatment a day from Monday to Friday, with a break at the weekend). But sometimes treatment may be given more than once a day or over the weekend.

How much does a CyberKnife machine cost?

authorized it for use throughout the body. Accuray, as well as hospitals and clinics that operate the CyberKnife machines, which cost $3 million to $5 million, have been promoting their use on various cancers, including lung and pancreatic cancer — and, increasingly, prostate cancer.Dec 16, 2008

What is the difference between CyberKnife and Gamma Knife?

The Key Differences between CyberKnife M6 & Gamma Knife

Gamma Knife is limited in the number of angles it can approach the tumor, while CyberKnife can deliver radiation from thousands of angles, limiting the impact of radiation on healthy tissue or organs surrounding the tumor.

Who makes CyberKnife?

The CyberKnife System is a radiation therapy device manufactured by Accuray Incorporated. The system is used to deliver radiosurgery for the treatment of benign tumors, malignant tumors and other medical conditions.

When was X-ray therapy used?

X-ray treatment of tuberculosis in 1910. Before the 1920s, the hazards of radiation were not understood, and it was used to treat a wide range of diseases.

When is radiation therapy used for Dupuytren's disease?

When Dupuytren's disease is at the nodules and cords stage or fingers are at a minimal deformation stage of less than 10 degrees, then radiation therapy is used to prevent further progress of the disease. Radiation therapy is also used post surgery in some cases to prevent the disease continuing to progress.

What is the subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiation therapy?

The subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiotherapy is called radiation oncologist . Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control cell growth. Ionizing radiation works by damaging the DNA of cancerous tissue leading to cellular death.

How much radiation is used for cancer?

The amount of radiation used in photon radiation therapy is measured in grays (Gy), and varies depending on the type and stage of cancer being treated. For curative cases, the typical dose for a solid epithelial tumor ranges from 60 to 80 Gy, while lymphomas are treated with 20 to 40 Gy.

What is radiation oncology?

Radiation oncology is the medical specialty concerned with prescribing radiation, and is distinct from radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis. Radiation may be prescribed by a radiation oncologist with intent to cure ("curative") or for adjuvant therapy.

How does radiation therapy work?

Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancerous cells. This DNA damage is caused by one of two types of energy, photon or charged particle. This damage is either direct or indirect ionization of the atoms which make up the DNA chain. Indirect ionization happens as a result of the ionization of water, forming free radicals, notably hydroxyl radicals, which then damage the DNA.

How much radiation does hair loss occur?

Epilation (hair loss) may occur on any hair bearing skin with doses above 1 Gy. It only occurs within the radiation field/s. Hair loss may be permanent with a single dose of 10 Gy, but if the dose is fractionated permanent hair loss may not occur until dose exceeds 45 Gy.

What is radiotherapy in surgery?

Radiotherapy can be given as: external radiotherapy – where a machine directs beams of radiation at the cancer. a radioactive implant inside your body near the cancer. a radioactive liquid that you swallow or have injected. directly at the tumour during surgery (intrabeam radiotherapy)

How long do you have to stay in hospital after radiation?

You may be radioactive for a few days after treatment is given, so you'll probably need to stay in hospital as a precaution until the amount of radiation has fallen to a safe level. Your treatment team may give you some advice to follow for a few days when you get home, to avoid putting other people at risk.

How long does it take for a dental implant to leave the body?

The length of time the implant is left in your body varies. It could be a few minutes or a few days. In some cases, tiny implants may be left inside the body permanently.

What to wear when you have radiotherapy?

If you're having radiotherapy to your head or neck, a plastic mask will be made for you to wear during treatment. The ink marks will be made on the mask.

Is intrabeam available in every hospital?

This treatment is not available at every NHS hospital, only those with an intrabeam machine.

Can radiotherapy cause side effects?

Radiotherapy can cause a range of side effects .

Can you continue treatment with a team?

Your team can give you advice about the likely benefits of continuing with treatment, but the final decision to continue or stop is yours.

How long does radiotherapy last?

your general health and fitness. Radiotherapy with the aim of curing cancer usually lasts between 1 to 7 weeks. For radiotherapy to relieve symptoms, you might have anything between a single treatment to 2 weeks of treatment. It might be longer than this. Your doctor will tell you how many treatments you’ll have.

What is a radiotherapist called?

Let your therapy radiographer (sometimes called a radiotherapist) know if you have any commitments, such as work or childcare, that mean you need a specific time for your appointments. They will try to be as flexible as possible, but it can be difficult depending on how busy the department is.

How does radiotherapy help cancer?

Radiotherapy can be used to try to cure cancer, reduce the chance of cancer coming back or to help relieve symptoms. You might have it by itself or with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or surgery. Nearly 50 out of 100 (50%) people have radiotherapy at some point during their cancer treatment. Most types of radiotherapy use photons.

What is the term for the use of radiation to treat cancer?

Radiotherapy means the use of radiation, usually x-rays, to treat cancer. You might have radiotherapy from inside the body, called internal radiotherapy . Or external radiotherapy , which is from outside the body.

Is it normal to be anxious about radiotherapy?

Worries about treatment. You may feel anxious about radiotherapy and this is perfectly normal. It can help to talk through any worries you have with your doctor, nurse or radiographer. Find out more about coping with cancer.

Do radiologists use electrons?

Most types of radiotherapy use photons. But you might have electrons or more rarely protons. Your doctor will decide which type you need.

Does radiation help cancer?

It aims to give a high dose of radiation to the cancer but as low a dose as possible to the surrounding healthy cells. This gives the highest chance of curing or shrinking the cancer while reducing the risk of side effects.

What are the different types of radiotherapy?

Here we cover the different types of radiotherapy and the potential side effects. • External beam radiotherapy High energy X-ray beams aimed at the prostate from outside the body. • Brachytherapy Small radioactive sources positioned inside the prostate. There are two types of brachytherapy that can be used for different stages of prostate cancer.

How long does it take for a man to get a symtom after radiation?

It can take place early on (acute) when it occurs within three months of radiation therapy, or it can be delayed (chronic) when it occurs between 18 months and six years after radiation therapy. You may experience symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, as they may recommend changes to your diet and medication.

What is IGRT in radiotherapy?

With IGRT, images are taken before or during radiotherapy that show the size, shape and location of the tumour to allow the doctor to make minor adjustments in aiming. This helps to deliver the radiation even more precisely and results in fewer side effects.

How long does it take to pass urine after brachytherapy?

You may have a shorter course of external beam radiotherapy (four to five weeks) two weeks after the brachytherapy treatment. The side effects are similar to those from external beam radiotherapy apart from a small extra risk of developing a narrowing of the urethra (stricture) – likely for about one in every 20 men.

What is SBRT radiation?

SBRT uses advanced image-guided techniques to provide large doses of radiation to a precise area. Since there are large doses of radiation in each dose, the entire course of treatment is given over a few days. SBRT is often known by the trade names of the machines that deliver the radiation, such as Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. There are other forms of external beam radiotherapy available as part of clinical trials.

How does IMRT work?

IMRT uses a computer-driven machine that moves around you as it delivers the radiation. It can be used to adjust the dose of radiotherapy given to different parts of the treatment area, which can then limit doses of radiation reaching nearby normal tissues.

How long after radiotherapy do you see a doctor?

You will be seen in the outpatient clinic a few weeks after the radiotherapy finishes and regularly for many years afterwards for follow-up appointments.