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Stereotactic radiosurgery is a single treatment with high energy radiation. It is a non-invasive procedure which is used to treat arteriovenous malformations, other vascular malformations benign and malignant brain tumours, and other neurological conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia. Under investigation is its use for Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. The treatment is usually delivered by an equipment called Gamma knife. Traditional radiotherapy linear accelerators have also been modified to deliver focused radiation.
The Gamma Knife is unlike a conventional knife because it does not cut, the treatment is a closed procedure. It is used exclusively for the brain and can’t be used to treat conditions in any other areas of the body. Gamma Knife uses a dose of radiation to reduce or stop the growth of abnormal tissue. It delivers a focused collection of 201 intersecting beams of high intensity Gamma radiation to treat the lesions within the brain. The beams are evenly distributed in a specially designed helmet; the Gamma Knife targets the lesion with three-dimensional precision. The individual beams provide a fairly small, harmless dose of radiation and only at the point where the beams meet is the radiation at its most powerful. This prevents injury to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Careful planning is required to ensure the beams are aimed precisely and therefore a frame is fitted to ensure your head stays completely still.
Before treatment you will usually have additional scans of your brain. You will then be fitted with a customised head frame which can be uncomfortable. The frame will then be checked again to ensure correct positioning. You will then be helped onto the bed on the Gamma Knife unit which will support the frame. Treatment will then be performed which usually lasts around one hour. The treatment itself is pain free.
The treatment may take up to 2 years to work. After this time an MRI or Angiogram may be performed to see how effective the treatment has been. At this time your specialist will discuss the results with you.
For further information relating to Stereotactic Surgery we recommend users to visit the Sheffield Gamma Knife Centre website.
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