Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), also known as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), is a highly focused radiation treatment that gives an intense dose of radiation concentrated on a tumor, while limiting the dose to the surrounding organs.
Advantages-
High effectiveness and accuracy. For most indications, local tumor control rates of 90% can be achieved. SABR uses the latest image guidance technologies to ablate tumors with millimeter-scale accuracy. The ability to spare healthy tissue while intensifying the radiation dose is the primary advantage of SABR over other modalities, particularly when critical structures are located near the treatment area.
Non-invasive. SABR is non-invasive and comfortable for the patient.
Convenient, outpatient service. The vast majority of treatments are done as short outpatient visits of 30 minutes to an hour, requiring no hospitalization. Treatment courses are generally completed in 1-5 days, allowing more freedom for your patients' busy lives, even if they are travelling from a distance, and resulting in little or no interruption of their scheduled chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.
Stereotactic radiosurgery is used to treat tumors and conditions within the skull, brain, and skull base including:
Before radiation treatment begins, a patient has a preliminary appointment that allows doctors to prescribe the proper dosage and delivery of radiation.
Once this "set-up" is complete and special blocks have been made to shield healthy organs from the radiation, treatment can be scheduled.
Stereotactic radiosurgery uses sophisticated computerized imaging to precisely focus a narrow X-ray beam. Using this method, it is possible to effectively destroy small tumors or close down abnormal blood vessels.
This technique, which is accurate to one millimeter or less, does not require surgery and can be done on an outpatient basis. Radiation can be delivered using either the frameless CyberKnife, or a framed system.
Stereotactic radiosurgery includes the participation of both the surgical and radiation oncology teams who work together to evaluate and treat each patient.