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Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a very precise form of radiation therapy used for the treatment of a variety of neurosurgical problems. Stereotactic radiosurgery uses information obtained from CT scans, MRI scans and/or angiograms to localize the area to be treated. Stereotactic radiosurgery uses this localization information along with various radiation delivery technologies to deliver a high dose of radiation to a specific area of the brain, while avoiding significant radiation to the surrounding tissues. Stereotactic radiosurgery usually, but not always, consists of a single treatment and patients are frequently able to go home the same day.
Stereotactic radiosurgery was first used to treat patients in 1951 by Dr. Lars Leksell at the Karolinska in Stockholm, Sweden. The use of stereotactic radiosurgery has been rapidly gaining acceptance in the United States. CINN was the third center in the U.S. to purchase a Gamma Knife® system and has been at the forefront of innovative use of the various stereotactic radiosurgery systems available. These include the Gamma Knife®, and Linear accelerator (LINAC) based systems.
Some of the problems that may be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery include; arterio-venous malformations, metastatic cancer, acoustic tumors, pituitary tumors, craniopharyngiomas, pineal tumors, meningiomas, astrocytomas, trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloroux) and some movement disorders. The indications for the use of SRS are continually evolving.
At CINN potential stereotactic radiosurgery patients are discussed at a stereotactic conference. In attendance at the conference are neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, physicists and nurses. Each case is considered on an individual basis. We've treated over 2,700 patients as of October 2005.