29 May 2026 | News
Image Courtesy: Public Domain
ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a global leader in non-invasive robotic brain surgery, announced that the European Radiosurgery Center Munich (ERCM) has treated more than 1,000 patients with the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform.
The milestone reflects ERCM’s continued leadership in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a completely non-invasive and painless procedure used to treat many primary and metastatic brain tumors, as well as select disorders of the brain, head, and neck. Often used as an alternative to open surgery, SRS is typically completed in a single brief outpatient visit, allowing many patients to resume normal activities the same day. No incision. No anesthesia. No pain.
“At ERCM, our mission has always been to deliver the most precise, least disruptive radiosurgical care possible,” said Prof. Dr. med. Alexander Muacevic, Neurosurgeon, Radiosurgeon and Medical Director of the European Radiosurgery Center Munich. “With ZAP-X, we have been particularly impressed by our ability to achieve excellent target coverage while minimizing the volume of healthy brain tissue exposed to non-therapeutic radiation. For patients, that distinction matters—not only for tumor control, but for preserving quality of life, cognition and executive function.”
The ZAP-X system utilizes unique gyroscopic mobility to direct radiosurgical beams from thousands of potential angles, accurately focusing radiation on the intended tumor or target. This approach is designed to enhance the ability to avoid critical structures such as the brainstem, eyes and optic nerves, while reducing exposure to healthy brain tissue.
In addition to clinical precision, ERCM has reported significant workflow advantages with ZAP-X. Treatment delivery is often highly efficient, with radiosurgical treatment times frequently shorter than the diagnostic MR imaging required for treatment planning.
“The efficiency of ZAP-X has become an important part of our clinical workflow,” said Theresa Hofmann, Deputy Head of Medical Physics at ERCM. “In many cases, the imaging takes longer than the treatment itself. And with the recent introduction of the ZAP-Axon® Radiosurgery Planning System, we are seeing additional planning efficiencies, with optimal cases planned in as little as five minutes and overall planning time reduced by approximately 20 percent.”
ZAP-X is also the first and only vault-free SRS delivery system, eliminating the need for hospitals to construct expensive shielded radiation treatment rooms and enabling installation in locations previously considered inconceivable. For the first time, advanced radiosurgery no longer needs to remain hidden behind concrete walls, but can be positioned in more visible, accessible and patient-friendly clinical environments.
Equally important, ZAP-X employs a modern linear accelerator for radiation generation, making it the first and only dedicated cranial radiosurgery system that does not rely on Cobalt-60 radioactive sources. This eliminates the substantial logistical, regulatory and financial burdens associated with hosting, securing and periodically replacing radioactive isotopes.
“ERCM’s 1,000-patient milestone is a powerful demonstration of what becomes possible when world-class radiosurgery is made more precise, more efficient and more accessible,” said John R. Adler, MD, Founder and CEO of ZAP Surgical. “We congratulate Prof. Muacevic, Theresa Hofmann and the entire ERCM team on this remarkable achievement.”
