| | Accuray Incorporated (ARAY) is the developer and manufacturer of the only radiosurgical device (the CyberKnife) approved by the FDA for the treatment of lesions anywhere in the body when radiation treatment is indicated.
The CyberKnife system integrates proprietary software, computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance (MRI) scans, two X-ray imaging machines, a computer-controlled robotic arm and a compact X-band linear accelerator to deliver lethal doses of radiation to lesions with minimal damage to healthy tissue.Collimated beams of high-energy radiation are precisely measured, timed, aimed and discharged from a three-dimensional variety of directions. Comparing real-time X-ray images with previously input CT/MRI data, the system is able to accurately converge 100 to 200 radiation beams onto a computer-sculpted area; hence, the tumor receives a lethal radiation exposure while the surrounding healthy tissue receives only a non-injurious dose. |
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The system is also able to detect and compensate for both patient and tumor movement in real time. which further reduces the margins necessary to achieve tumor control.
The CyberKnife precision radiosurgery system promises to revolutionize the treatment of many forms of cancer due to its several and significant advantages over conventional therapies in terms of costs, risks, side effects, patient comfort and efficacy. Conventional surgical resection entails the high cost of hospital stays, long recovery periods, hazard to nearby critical tissues, significant pain and risk of infection. CyberKnife treatment is performed as an outpatient procedure and requires minimal support staff; hence, the cost is about one-fourth that of conventional surgery. Additionally, the CyberKnife is non-invasive; there is no pain, no discomfort, no damage to critical tissues, no risk of infection. Finally, since a human surgeon can operate only on what can be visually recognized during surgery, the computer-controlled CyberKnife is potentially more accurate and, hence, more reliable and effective at eliminating malignant tissues.
To date, The CyberKnife system has been used to treat over 50,000 patients worldwide and is currently in operation in over 140 leading hospitals in the United States, Europe and Asia with approximately 100 additional systems under contract and in various stages of installation. For more information, visit the Accuray Incorporated web site at... 
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