Gamma knife radiosurgery consists of the following steps:
Preparation
The patient arrives at the Gamma Knife Center in the morning for radiosurgery.
Affixing the stereotactic frame to the patient's skull
The stereotactic frame is fixed at four points around the patient's skull with fixation screws under local anesthesia. The MR coordinate indictor is attached to the frame. The frame is offered as a reference point during radiosurgery planning, and is used to hold the patient's head in an accurate position required for radiosurgery. (Frame fitting usually takes about 10 minutes)
Imaging
The patient's head is imaged using a MRI, CT, or Angiography while wearing the stereotactic frame and the Leksell Indicator on the head. The obtained images are transferred to a computer for radiosurgery planning.
Radiosurgery planning
The patient returns to the Gamma Knife Center and is allowed to relax while a physician plans radiosurgery. The physicians use computers to plan the radiation so it matches the tumor. A typical treatment planning takes about an hour.
Radiosurgery
The patient is brought into the room equipped with the radiation unit and lies on the couch. Our team sets the coordinates and position of the patient's head with the frame in the trunnions of the unit according to the radiosurgery planning protocol. During the actual treatment, the patient should be left alone in the shielded operating room. The operating room and the patient is continuously monitored throughout the irradiation via the CCTV and voice communication system. The patient is able to communicate with the physician, and the patient's families can also observe the whole procedure. The patients is wheeled into theunit on a couch and gamma ray is focused on the predetermined target for treatment. The patient feels no pain at all during the actual treatment.
Removal of the stereotactic frame on the patient's head
A physician removes the stereotactic frame from the patient's head. (about 5 minutes)
After the operation
Your physician will arrange follow-up examinations as well as MRI, CT Scan or Angiography. In most cases, no postoperative care is necessary and the patient can return to normal physical and social activities immediately following radiosurgery.