Radiosurgery devices such as Gamma Knife and CyberKnife are used for what?

• A. Non-invasive, focused radiation to treat brain lesions
• B. Open skull surgical removal
• C. Only for spinal tumors
• D. Not used in oncology

Answer: (A)

Radiosurgery devices are designed to deliver highly focused radiation to a brain target without opening the skull. The main idea is precision: many beams converge on the lesion so the abnormal tissue receives a high dose while surrounding healthy brain tissue is spared. This lets clinicians treat brain lesions non-invasively, often in a single session or a few treatments. Gamma Knife uses many gamma-ray beams from cobalt-60 sources to target the lesion, while CyberKnife employs a robotic arm with real-time imaging to track and adjust for movement as it delivers radiation. They’re used in oncology to treat brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and certain other brain conditions. They are not open-skull surgical removals, they’re not limited to spinal tumors, and they are indeed used for oncologic purposes.