The Future of Robotics in Radiosurgery

Abstract

After emerging from and transforming the practice of neurosurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery is increasingly affecting all surgical disciplines. The first generation of frame-based devices limited radiosurgery treatment to lesions of the brain where the rigidity of the skull provided adequate skeletal purchase. In an effort to surmount such anatomic limitations, robotic radiosurgery was developed. After almost 2 decades of existence, the technology and clinical application of image-guided robotic radiosurgery have evolved considerably, and today a range of treatments with such technology have become commonplace. Nevertheless, the timeless allure of a truly noninvasive, yet highly effective, therapy promises that further refinements in robotic radiosurgery will be forthcoming well into the future.