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Gamma Knife, CyberKnife and other stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments target a brain tumour with pinpoint radiation — often in a single, outpatient session. CION explains your options clearly and coordinates the right platform for you.
If you have been told about Gamma Knife, CyberKnife or "radiosurgery," the word "surgery" can sound frightening. Here is the reassuring truth: stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) involves no cut, no incision, and no opening of the skull. It is a highly precise form of radiation therapy.
Instead of one strong beam, an SRS machine aims many small beams from different angles so they all meet at one point — your tumour. Each beam is gentle as it passes through healthy brain, but where they cross, the combined dose is high enough to stop the tumour cells from growing and dividing. The word "stereotactic" simply means precisely located in three dimensions, guided by a planning MRI.
For most people, SRS is an outpatient treatment — you lie still while the beams are delivered, then go home the same day. There is no general anaesthetic in most cases and no recovery ward. This is very different from open brain tumour surgery, and it is one reason radiosurgery has become a central tool in modern brain tumour care.
SRS sits alongside standard radiation therapy such as IMRT and IGRT, which CION delivers directly. The two are used for different situations — your radiation oncologist will explain which is right for you.
The idea of stereotactic radiosurgery was invented by the Swedish neurosurgeon Lars Leksell in the 1950s — long before modern imaging. The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons define SRS as radiation delivered in one to five sessions to a precisely defined target, and NCCN Central Nervous System guidelines recognise it as a standard option for small, well-defined brain tumours and limited brain metastases.
These are brand names for machines that all deliver the same idea — stereotactic radiosurgery. The differences are in how the beams are produced and how your head is held still. None is universally "best"; the right choice depends on your tumour.
| Platform | How it works | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Gamma Knife | Fixed cobalt sources focus many beams to a point; the head is held very still with a frame or mask. Designed specifically for the brain. | Small, single or multiple well-defined brain targets — meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, metastases. |
| CyberKnife | A robotic arm moves a compact linear accelerator around you and tracks small movements — often frameless, using a custom mask. | Brain and body targets; useful where a frame is impractical or the dose is spread over a few sessions. |
| LINAC-based SRS | A modern linear accelerator adapted for radiosurgery delivers equally precise, focused beams with image guidance. | A wide range of brain tumours; widely available and highly accurate in experienced hands. |
What matters more than the brand is accurate MRI-based planning and an experienced team defining the target and protecting the surrounding brain. CION's neuro-oncology team reviews your imaging and coordinates the most appropriate SRS platform for your tumour through accredited radiosurgery partners — while managing your care from start to finish. Ask us which option fits your tumour.
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Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
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Radiosurgery is powerful for the right tumour — and the wrong choice for others. Get a free second opinion from CION's neuro-oncology tumour board before you decide.
SRS works best on small, well-defined targets — usually up to about 3 cm across. It is not suitable for every tumour: large tumours, or cancer spread widely through the brain, are often better treated with surgery or standard fractionated radiation first. Below are the situations where radiosurgery is most often considered. Your neuro-oncology team confirms suitability after reviewing your MRI.
Radiosurgery is carefully planned so the treatment itself is quick and precise. Here is the typical journey:
How many sessions? Classic radiosurgery is a single session. When the dose is spread over 2 to 5 visits — called stereotactic radiotherapy or hypofractionated SRS — it is used for slightly larger targets or tumours close to sensitive structures such as the optic nerves or brainstem.
For patients with a limited number of brain metastases, NCCN and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) support stereotactic radiosurgery over whole-brain radiation because it treats each lesion precisely while better preserving memory and thinking. This is why a proper radiosurgery review matters before whole-brain radiation is accepted.
CION delivers precision radiation therapy such as IMRT and IGRT directly, and coordinates stereotactic radiosurgery — Gamma Knife, CyberKnife or LINAC-based SRS — through accredited radiosurgery partners when your tumour is suited to it. You are never left to arrange radiosurgery alone. Our neuro-oncology team plans your care and manages everything around the treatment:
A second opinion is especially valuable in three situations:
Start with the brain cancer and tumour hub for the full picture, review your options on our brain tumour treatment in Hyderabad page, or book a free consultation to discuss whether radiosurgery is right for you. You can also call 18002028726 and we will connect you to the nearest CION centre.
Patients and families come to CION for clear answers about radiosurgery and honest guidance on whether it is the right step. Here is what they say.
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Start Your Story. Book Free Consultation.No. Despite the word "knife," Gamma Knife is not surgery — there is no cut, no incision, and no opening of the skull. It is a form of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS): many small beams of radiation are aimed from different angles so they all meet precisely on the tumour. Each beam is weak on its own, but where they cross, the combined dose is high enough to stop the tumour cells growing. The surrounding brain receives very little. Most people lie still for the treatment, go home the same day, and return to normal activity quickly. The name comes from the precision of the target, not from any blade.
Both deliver stereotactic radiosurgery — highly focused radiation to a precise target — but they use different machines. Gamma Knife uses fixed cobalt sources and a frame (or mask) to hold the head very still; it is designed specifically for the brain. CyberKnife uses a robotic arm that moves a linear accelerator around you and tracks small movements, so it can treat targets in the brain and elsewhere in the body without a rigid frame. Many modern linear-accelerator (LINAC) systems also deliver equally precise brain SRS. What matters most is not the brand name but accurate MRI-based planning and an experienced team. CION coordinates the right platform for your tumour.
SRS works best for small, well-defined targets — usually up to about 3 cm. It is commonly used for brain metastases (cancer that has spread to the brain), meningiomas, acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas), selected pituitary tumours, and some tumours left over or recurring after earlier treatment. It is also used to give a focused "boost" to certain tumours. Large tumours, or those spread widely through the brain, are usually better treated with surgery or standard fractionated radiation first. The right choice depends on the tumour type, size, location, and your overall situation — which is exactly what a neuro-oncology team review decides.
Classic radiosurgery is a single session. When the dose is spread over a few visits — usually 2 to 5 — it is called stereotactic radiotherapy or hypofractionated SRS, and is used for slightly larger targets or tumours close to sensitive structures like the optic nerves or brainstem. Each session typically takes from around 30 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the number and size of the targets and the platform used. Most people are treated as outpatients and go home the same day. Your radiation oncologist decides the number of sessions based on the tumour and the surrounding anatomy.
CION delivers precision radiation therapy such as IMRT and IGRT directly, and coordinates stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife, CyberKnife, or LINAC-based SRS) through accredited radiosurgery partners when your tumour is suited to it. That means our neuro-oncology team plans your care, arranges the MRI-based targeting, refers you to the right SRS platform, and manages everything before and after — steroids, seizure medicines, imaging follow-up, and systemic therapy. You are never left to arrange radiosurgery on your own. The goal is the correct treatment for your tumour, coordinated end to end, with transparent costs.
SRS is generally well tolerated because it spares most of the healthy brain. In the first days some people feel tired or have a mild headache; a short course of steroids can help swelling around the target. Longer-term, a small number develop radiation-related swelling or necrosis near the treated area, which is usually managed with medicine and monitored on MRI. Specific risks depend on where the target sits — for example, tumours near the hearing nerve or optic nerves carry their own considerations. Your radiation oncologist will explain the risks that apply to your exact tumour before you decide. Any new or worsening symptom should always be reported promptly.
Yes — this is one of the most common uses. For brain metastases (secondary tumours from lung, breast, kidney, melanoma and other cancers), SRS lets doctors treat each lesion precisely, often in a single session, and frequently avoids whole-brain radiation and its effect on memory and thinking. Modern guidelines support treating several metastases with SRS in suitable patients. The systemic treatment for the original cancer continues alongside, coordinated by the medical oncology team. Because these are secondary tumours, care is planned together with the primary-cancer team — for example our lung cancer and breast cancer services.
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