FAQs

Patient benefits include:

• No incision
• Pain-free treatment
• No anesthesia
• No hospitalization
• Little or no recovery time
• Immediate return to daily activities

Most patients experience minimal to no short-term side effects and often recover quickly. Depending on the treatment site, some patient’s may experience different side effects such as mild fatigue or nausea. The CyberKnife physician will discuss all possible side effects prior to treatment.

The effects of radiosurgery occur gradually and over a period of time. The timeframe can range from days, months or years depending on the medical condition treated. Some tumors dissolve slower than others and eventually disappear. Others simply stop growing and present no further cell activity.

After treatments patients typically are asked to get periodic images (CAT Scan or MRI) of their tumor(s) so that their physician can monitor the effectiveness of the radiation.

The frequency of treatments depends on where the tumor is located and what type of tumor is being treated. Most patients can receive multiple treatments or be re-treated with CyberKnife.

Treatment is painless. You will not feel anything as the radiation is delivered. You may hear and see the CyberKnife machine moving around you and setting up for the next position in treatment. Relaxing is the best thing you can do, while lying still. You can bring a CD of relaxing music to listen to during your treatment.

Time of treatment will vary, depending on the area being treated. Each treatment typically lasts 30-90 minutes. You may need only one treatment session, while others require up to 5 sessions for most effective treatment. Your doctor will tell you how long the treatment will take.

CyberKnife treatments are covered by most insurances. If required, we can assist you in obtaining prior authorization from your insurance company once a treatment option is determined. During the consultation process, the CyberKnife staff will discuss any cost to you for CyberKnife treatment.