[1] The device consists of a small linear accelerator attached to a robotic arm, along with an integrated image guidance system.
During treatment, the image guidance system captures 3D images, tracks the movement of tumors, and guides the robotic arm to accurately aim the treatment beam at the moving tumor.
The system is also used for select 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
[3] This work expanded upon earlier efforts in the 1980s to adapt standard linear accelerators for radiosurgery.
The inaugural CyberKnife system was installed at Stanford University in 1991, receiving clearance for clinical investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994.