The Gamma Knife Procedure

Post by Groshan Fabiola

Gamma knife surgery is a revolutionary and efficient treatment for brain tumors. The treatment is minimally invasive, making use of a extremely concentrated dose of gamma radiation, focused on the brain tumor, to destroy diseased tissue. The dose of gamma radiation is so nicely-focused and precise that it leaves no harm to brain tissue that surrounds the tumor. Common for ailments like acoustic neuroma, radiosurgery, like the gamma knife process, is an entirely painless process.

The Treatment

The protocol for gamma knife surgery consists of four easy steps.

Head frame fitting - The patient is first fitted with a head frame, which prevents any excess movement. This maximizes the accuracy in targeting the lesion. The frame is applied to the patient's head with four pins, which require some local anesthetic.

Imaging - As soon as the head frame is securely in place, the patient receives an imaging study, either by means of an MRI, CT scan, or angiography. This helps in precisely locating the tumor.

Planning - With the imaging study, medical staff uses software to determine the appropriate treatment plan. This process can take an hour or two depending on the affected location. At this time, the patient can rest.

Treating - As soon as the medical staff has worked out an suitable treatment strategy, the patient is placed comfortably on the gamma knife couch, which moves automatically into the gamma knife machine. The treatment takes about fifteen minutes to an hour, in the course of which time the patient is no cost to sleep or relax. There is no pain, and the patient will essentially feel absolutely nothing during the whole procedure.

Patients can leave the treatment center inside the identical day, and results from the procedure are steady, appearing over the course of days, weeks, or months depending upon the severity and location of the lesion. Lesions gradually dissolve or basically quit growing altogether, permitting for recovery or further treatment.

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For much more resources about gamma knife surgery or about treatment for brain tumors or even about acoustic neuroma radiosurgery, please review these links.