Photo: acnatta/bhamterminal.com

 CyberKnife of Birmingham was introduced to The Magic City this morning at Brookwood Medical Center. The press conference for the advanced robotic radiosurgery device was held in its beautifully designed patient-friendly home on Brookwood’s campus. The independent treatment center is associated with Brookwood but open to any and all patients who would benefit from this advanced therapy.

As revealed by Dr. Swaid, the facility’s medical director, CyberKnife is a device that delivers high dose radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy to malignant tumors. The CyberKnife’s robotic arm is capable of real-time tracking due to an advanced imaging system which pinpoints the tumors location even if the patient moves. This technology allows radiation therapy to become a non-invasive, pain free outpatient procedure requiring no anesthesia with minimal side effects. Possibly the most exciting aspect of CyberKnife, is that the device opens the door for radiation treatment to children. Before CyberKnife, invasive restraints limited the access that children had to radiosurgery. Now children as well as other tumor patients have access to technologically advanced treatment in a world-class facility.

Video later…