Advantages and Benefits of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Gamma Knife radiosurgery provides patients with a variety of advantages and benefits:

A Single, Non-invasive Treatment: Unlike surgery, patients experience very little pain and discomfort with Gamma Knife treatment. Only local anesthesia is necessary, eliminating the risks associated with the general anesthesia required for conventional neurosurgical procedures. Other risks such as infection, bleeding and other surgical complications are greatly reduced. And unlike other forms of radiation therapy that may require several weeks of daily treatments, Gamma Knife treatment is performed in a single, one-day session, with the actual procedure lasting only a couple of hours. Gamma Knife treatment can also be repeated if necessary and can be used on new areas if additional problems arise.

Team Approach: At the Illinois Neurological Institute (INI) Gamma Knife Center, our multidisciplinary treatment team reviews every potential Gamma Knife patient case to ensure the patient's diagnosis and unique situation are appropriate for Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Our team consists of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, medical oncologists and medical physicists, ensuring each patient receives the best and most appropriate care for his or her condition.

Documented Success: Gamma Knife treatment is the most established radiosurgical method. It is the standard against which all other radiosurgery methods are measured. Over 2,500 peer-reviewed clinical articles support its use to treat a variety of brain conditions. It has been in use for more than 40 years, with more than 500,000 patients treated worldwide. The Perfexion^TM system also boasts new radiation-shielding levels that are up to 100 times better than alternative technologies, and is a fully automated system that makes the treatment process quick and seamless.

Effective Treatment Covered by Insurance: Most major medical insurance covers Gamma Knife treatment, including Medicare.