| What is stereotactic radiosurgery? | | | | location, computerized dose planning, and radiation |
| Stereotactic radiosurgery is a highly precise form of | | | | delivery. |
| radiation therapy used primarily to treat tumors and | | | | In the first phase, a box-shaped head frame is |
| other abnormalities of the brain. Despite its name, | | | | attached to your skull using specially designed pins to |
| stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-surgical procedure | | | | keep your head from moving until the treatment |
| that uses highly focused x-rays to treat certain | | | | session is finished. This lightweight aluminum head |
| types of tumors, inoperable lesions and as a | | | | frame is a guiding device that makes sure the |
| post-operative treatment to eliminate any leftover | | | | Gamma Knife beams are focused exactly where the |
| tumor tissue. | | | | treatment is needed. |
| The treatment involves the delivery of a single | | | | Next, you will be taken to an imaging area where a |
| high-dose—or sometimes smaller, multiple | | | | computed tomography (CT) scan and/or magnetic |
| doses—of radiation beams that converge on the | | | | resonance imaging (MRI) will be performed to show |
| specific area of the brain where the tumor or other | | | | the exact location of the tumor in relation to the |
| abnormality resides. Using a helmet-like device that | | | | head frame. |
| keeps the head completely still and three-dimensional | | | | During the next phase, you will be able to relax for |
| computer-aided planning software, stereotactic | | | | an hour or two while your treatment team performs |
| radiosurgery minimizes the amount of radiation to | | | | a computer-aided treatment plan that will optimally |
| healthy brain tissue. | | | | radiate the tumor. |
| Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important alternative | | | | Next, you will lie down on the Gamma Knife bed |
| to invasive surgery, especially for tumors and blood | | | | where your physician will describe the number and |
| vessel abnormalities located deep within or close to | | | | length of treatments to expect. Your head frame will |
| vital areas of the brain. Radiosurgery is used to treat | | | | then be attached to a helmet that has several |
| many types of brain tumors, both benign or | | | | hundred holes in it to allow individual rays of radiation |
| malignant and primary or metastatic. Additionally, | | | | to target specific areas of the brain. |
| radiosurgery is used to treat arteriovenous | | | | The treatment team will then go to another room so |
| malformations (AVMs), a tangle of expanded blood | | | | that your treatment can begin. You will be able to |
| vessels that disrupts normal blood flow in the brain | | | | talk to your physician through a microphone in the |
| and is the leading cause of stroke in young people. | | | | helmet and a camera will allow the team to see you |
| Although stereotactic radiosurgery is often completed | | | | at all times. The bed you are lying on will move |
| in a one-day session, physicians sometimes | | | | backward into the treatment area. You may hear a |
| recommend a fractionated treatment, in which | | | | chime at this point and a click as the helmet locks |
| treatments are given over a period of days or | | | | into the radiation source. When the treatment is |
| weeks. This is referred to as stereotactic | | | | complete, the bed will return to its original position. |
| radiotherapy | | | | The total treatment may last two to four hours. |
| Stereotactic radiosurgery works in the same way as | | | | Once your treatment is completed, your head frame |
| other forms of radiation treatment. It does not | | | | will be removed. Radiosurgery Using the Linear |
| actually remove the tumor; rather, it distorts the | | | | Accelerator |
| DNA of tumor cells. As a result, these cells lose their | | | | Linear accelerator (LINAC) radiosurgery is similar to |
| ability to reproduce. Following the treatment, benign | | | | the Gamma Knife procedure and its four phases: |
| tumors usually shrink over a period of 18 months to | | | | head frame placement, imaging, computerized dose |
| two years. Malignant and metastatic tumors may | | | | planning and radiation delivery. Unlike the Gamma |
| shrink more rapidly, even within a couple of months. | | | | Knife, which remains motionless during the procedure, |
| When treated with radiosurgery, arteriovenous | | | | part of the LINAC machine called a gantry rotates |
| malformations (AVMs) begin to thicken and close off. | | | | around the patient, delivering radiation beams from |
| How is the procedure performed? | | | | different angles. Compared to the Gamma Knife, the |
| Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using the Gamma Knife | | | | LINAC is able to use a larger x-ray beam, which |
| Gamma Knife radiosurgery involves four phases: | | | | enables it to treat larger tumors more uniformly and |
| placement of the head frame, imaging of tumor | | | | with less repositioning. |