CyberKnife – The "Precision Drone" in Radiation Therapy

In the battlefield against cancer, radiation therapy is an important member of the "weapons arsenal." While it can attack tumors, it is prone to "collateral damage" to surrounding healthy tissues, leaving patients often enduring side effects such as dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, and radiation pneumonitis. However, currently, the CyberKnife technology, hailed as the "radiation therapy drone," is redefining the new height of precise tumor targeting through dynamic tracking. Today, we invite oncology experts from the Army Characteristic Medical Center to answer: How does CyberKnife technology achieve precise radiation therapy?

Essentially, CyberKnife is a highly sophisticated robotic radiosurgery system. Like a well-equipped, autonomous navigation drone, it achieves precise strikes through four core technologies based on true "dynamic tracking radiation therapy":

 

Real-Time Image Navigation (GPS Positioning)

High-resolution X-ray imaging and infrared optical tracking systems operate continuously throughout the treatment. Combined with pre-implanted gold fiducials or the patient’s own bony anatomical landmarks, they perform millimeter-level real-time monitoring of the tumor and the patient’s body position—similar to providing precise GPS coordinates for a drone.

Respiratory Synchronization Tracking (Anti-Airflow Interference)

For tumors that move with breathing (such as lung and liver tumors), CyberKnife is equipped with advanced respiratory synchronization technology. It can real-time detect the patient’s breathing motion curve, predict the tumor’s position in the next moment, and guide the radiation beam to emit precisely following the tumor’s movement trajectory. Just like a drone automatically adjusting its attitude in air currents to lock onto the target, it avoids "missed targets" or expanded irradiation ranges caused by breathing.

Flexible Robotic Arm (Mobile Platform)

The six-axis industrial robotic arm loaded with a compact linear accelerator has far greater freedom than traditional equipment. It can flexibly adjust its position and irradiation direction around the patient from thousands of different angles, ensuring the radiation beam always strikes the tumor through the optimal path while avoiding key organs.

High-Precision Focused Strike (Precision Guidance)

Supported by both real-time image navigation and respiratory synchronization tracking technology, the system calculates the optimal irradiation path. Through non-coplanar, non-isocentric multiple beams, it forms an ultra-high-dose area inside the tumor—like an "energy storm center"—with dose intensity sufficient to destroy cancer cells, while the dose to surrounding normal tissues drops rapidly. This "stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS/SBRT)" technology can complete the tasks of multiple traditional treatments in a single session, significantly shortening the treatment course.

This drone-like dynamic tracking capability has been verified in the treatment of various cancers:

· Intracranial tumors: Such as acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, and metastases—it is one of the preferred non-invasive treatment methods.

· Spinal tumors: Precisely avoids the spinal cord, treats vertebral metastases or primary tumors, and effectively relieves pain and controls tumors.

· Lung tumors: A curative option for early-stage lung cancer patients, especially those not suitable for surgery; precisely treats lung metastases.

· Liver tumors: Treats primary liver cancer or metastases while protecting normal liver tissue.

· Pancreatic cancer: In comprehensive treatment, CyberKnife technology can be applied to locally advanced patients to relieve pain and control local disease progression.

· Prostate cancer: CyberKnife technology can be used as a curative radiation therapy option, precisely protecting the rectum and bladder.

With the continuous development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, multi-modal image fusion, and real-time dose monitoring, the CyberKnife of the future will have a higher level of intelligence. Its faster image processing speed, more accurate motion prediction models, and more adaptive treatment plan adjustments will allow this "radiation therapy drone" to cope freely on the anti-cancer battlefield, bringing patients safer, more efficient, and non-invasive new treatment options.