Synchrony Added to CyberKnife

Precise treatment for tumors that "move"

St. Anthony's $4 million CyberKnife System is the state-of-the-art technology for treating the smallest and most complex tumors. But even with this most advanced technology, treating tumors that '"move" has been particularly challenging – until now. St. Anthony has added new Synchrony technology that tracks movement in real time, making treatment more accurate and more effective.

Unlike stationary tumors in the head, neck and spine, tumors in the body's organs (lungs, kidney, liver and pancreas) present moving targets. With each breath these tumors move. Synchrony technology accurately tracks tumor position in real time, even as the patient takes a breath. With this precise tracking, tightly focused beams of radiation can be used to destroy the tumors with minimal damage to adjacent normal tissue.

St. Anthony is the only hospital in Oklahoma with the CyberKnife System, and was only the 11th in the nation and 20th in the world to offer this advanced technology for the treatment of cancer.

CyberKnife radiosurgery is a painless, non-invasive radiation treatment that gives patients new hope, especially those diagnosed with tumors that are inoperable and otherwise untreatable.

“The CyberKnife system integrates two types of technologies that allow us to treat complex-shaped tumors previously considered inoperable,” said Clinton Medbery, MD, radiation oncologist with St. Anthony Hospital.

An image guidance system tracks and verifies tumor location and enables automatic compensation for patient and tumor movement. In addition, a multi-jointed robotic arm enables access to previously unreachable tumors and reduces damage to surrounding critical structures.

The extreme accuracy of the CyberKnife is described as “T4” Radiosurgery. “T4” means tight-to-the-tumor, describing the ability to deliver high precision radiation to the tumor while avoiding the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.

“The addition of the CyberKnife System to St. Anthony Hospital means that we can now offer tumor patients new treatment options that were not possible in the past,” said Astrid Morrison, MD, radiation oncologist at St. Anthony Hospital.

Over 5,000 patients have been treated with the CyberKnife technology worldwide. Unlike other types of brain surgeries, for example, CyberKnife uses no scalpels, incisions, or conventional head frames affixed to the skull. The procedure is so well tolerated, patients can drive themselves home immediately following the surgery.

”On the day of treatment, a patient lies on the table in street clothes and wears a custom-fit mesh facemask or body immobilizer,” explains radiologist Marianne M. Young, M.D.

For more information regarding the CyberKnife technology available at St. Anthony Hospital, email or call 1-866-602-7079.