A Patient's Perspective

The Evaluation
The first step after referral to the INI Gamma Knife center is evaluation of the patient's case by the radiosurgery team, which includes neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, medical physicists and medical oncologists. The suitability of the patient's tumor or vascular malformation for radiosurgery is determined after reviewing their clinical information and radiographic studies. Results of the review are discussed with the patient, along with details of the Gamma Knife planning and treatment procedures.

The Process
After a decision is made to proceed with treatment, patients subsequently return to the Gamma Knife facility to begin the treatment planning process. Initially, a stereotactic head frame is fixed in place using local anesthesia, with a minimum of patient discomfort. This head frame provides a reference system for targeting the patient's problem for radiosurgery. Patients then proceed to the MRI scanner, where detailed images of the target lesion and its relationship to surrounding healthy tissues are obtained; no patient discomfort is involved in obtaining the MRI scans.

After scanning is complete, patients rest for several hours while treatment planning by the radiosurgery team is completed. The planning process consists of team members using highly sophisticated computers to design and shape the radiation dose to the tumor or vascular malformation so that it conforms precisely to the shape of the lesion. This process typically takes several hours.

Patients are then transferred to the treatment couch on the Gamma Knife device, and the head frame is fixed to the collimator helmet by the neurosurgeon. Patients then undergo the radiosurgical procedure, which is painless and typically lasts less than an hour.

The Recovery
After treatment is complete, the head frame is removed and patients return to their room. They usually have lunch and then may return home. Patients can return to their normal activities, including work, shortly after returning home, but may not drive until the next day.

Patients typically return to the INI Gamma Knife Center for followup examinations by team physicians at regular intervals after completion of radiosurgery. In conjunction with these visits MRI scans are obtained to monitor the results of treatment.