The second image shows the area of convergence. The oblong gray blob is my heart. The small bright orange spots indicate the area of maximum convergence (highest dosage); the larger orange boundaries indicates the areas where 72% convergence occurred (Since a lesion on the heart is a moving target it is necessary to set a larger perimeter for the target area to increase the probability of attaining a "hit").
The last image is a chart of the actual dosages received, color-coded to Image 2.
With a maximum dosage of 3740.33 cGy, the chart indicates the primary target area received a mean dosage of 3241.68 CGy (86.62%). With a maximum dosage of of 3439,69 cGy, the larger light orange secondary containing target area received a mean dosage of 3146.36 cGy (91.47%). Radiation exposure to the adjoining areas (lungs, heart, esophagus) was significantly lower, well below the threshold of damage danger.What does this mean? First and most important, Cyberknife was able to deliver a therapeutic dosage to the target area without significant impact on the surrounding areas. Second, because the treatment dosage levels were based on 1985 experience for safe broad area radiation to the heart, the effect of focused multiple dosages is unknown. Thirdly, since I am the first melanoma patient to receive this treatment, nothing further can be inferred or verified about the result for 4 - 6 weeks, after follow-up studies are completed.
Sorry about that! Trust me, no one's more anxious to know than I am. In the meantime, I'm pushing for a resolution of the small, untreated mets in my right lung and enjoying the extra 20 yards I'm producing within my new Callaway FT-iQ driver.
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