Even though it is called surgery, radiosurgery does not involve actual surgery. Instead, very focused beams of radiation (gamma rays, X-rays, or protons) are used to treat cancerous tissues without a surgical incision or opening.
How is radiosurgery performed?
The specialized equipment focuses many small beams of radiation on a tumor or other target. Each beam has very little effect on the tissue it passes through, but a targeted dose of radiation is delivered to the site where all the beams intersect
How does radiosurgery work?
Radiosurgery works in the same manner as other types of therapeutic radiology. It distorts or destroys the DNA of tumor cells, causing them to be unable to reproduce and grow. The tumor will shrink in size over time. For blood vessel lesions, like an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), the blood vessels eventually close off after treatment.
Is radiosurgery safe?
Stereotactic radiosurgery causes fewer and milder side effects than conventional radiotherapies, which cover a wider area and can affect healthy tissue. The following side effects are typically temporary and get better within a few weeks.
What is radiosurgery used for?
Stereotactic radiosurgery technology uses many small gamma rays to deliver a precise dose of radiation to the target. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) uses many precisely focused radiation beams to treat tumors and other problems in the brain, neck, lungs, liver, spine, and other parts of the body.
What are the types of radiosurgery?
Cobalt60 systems (Gamma Knife) - Cobalt60 systems use cobalt as a source for gamma rays. This type of system is commonly referred to as the Gamma Knife. The Gamma Knife is not really a knife at all. It uses beams of highly-focused gamma rays to treat small- to medium-sized lesions, usually in the brain. Many beams of gamma radiation join to focus on the lesion under treatment, providing a very intense dose of radiation in a safe manner.
The Gamma Knife is used mainly to treat small and medium lesions in and around the brain, like brain tumors or arteriovenous malformations. AVMs are abnormal connections between arteries and veins. It is also used to treat functional problems such as trigeminal neuralgia. During Gamma Knife treatment, the equipment does not move.
Gamma Knife treatment generally involves these steps:
Head frame placement - In order to keep the head from moving during treatment, a box-shaped frame is attached to the head. Pins designed specifically for this purpose fasten the head frame to the skull. The head frame also is a guide to focus the gamma ray beams on the exact location of the lesion being treated.
Tumor location imaging - Once the head frame is in place, the exact location of the lesion to be treated will be determined using a CT scan or MRI.
Radiation dose planning - After the CT scan or MRI has been completed, the radiation therapy team will determine the treatment plan. The results of the imaging scan, along with other information, will be used by a medical physicist to determine the best treatment.
Radiation treatment - After being positioned for the treatment, a type of helmet with many hundreds of holes in it is placed over the head frame. These holes help to focus the radiation beams on the target. Treatment will last a few minutes up to a few hours. This depends on the type and location of the area being treated. Generally, only one treatment session is needed for a lesion.
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Dr. Nilesh Potdar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery),
M.Ch. (Neurosurgery)
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