By Deb Norrell & Mariah Cordie

Swedish invention in 1951 but first used in 1968

Dr. Lars Leksell
Brje Larsson

1st seen in the US in 1987 in Pittsburgh

Today, approx. 250 Gamma Knife centers in the world
150 centers in the US
Only two Gamma Knife centers in MN
Mayo Clinic in Rochester

U of MN Medical Center

 Directs precisely focused radiation beams at brain

tumors, lesions, or other abnormalities

AKA- Radiosurgery
Gamma Knife can minimize the amount of radiation
to surrounding healthy brain tissue
Individually, each beam is too weak to damage the
normal tissue it crosses on the way to the target,
but when focused on the target, the beam
intersects and combined radiation is sufficient to
treat the targeted area.

 Has approximately 200 sources of Cobalt-60 loaded

within the treatment unit

Accuracy of more than 0.5mm (strand of hair)
Has four steps:
1. Attaching head frame

2. Imaging
3. Treatment Planning
4. Treatment Procedure

 Special stereotactic head

frame
Stereotactic=precise

positioning in 3-D space

Frame is attached to

patients head using

small screws
Local anesthetic is used

With head frame in place:

MRI, CT, Angiogram
Imaging is done to determine the size, shape, and
location of tumor or lesion
There are coordinate markers on the head frame that
allow physician to develop treatment plan

 Patient is able to rest during this step, this process can

take a very long time

Physician looks at images and uses the Gamma Knife
3-D planning software to construct a treatment
protocol
Gamma Knife has unique helmets that have approx.
200 holes in it for radiation to be delivered to the
brain- these helmets are one size however they have
individual collimators that are customized for the
individual patients treatment.

 Patients head frame is secured to the helmet

Patient goes through a series of treatments that can

last from 2 to 45 minutes

The whole treatment procedure can take a few minutes
to a few hours
The patient is completely awake
The procedure is painless

http://www.gammaknife.com/

 Cancers that have metastasized to the

brain, head, or neck

Tumors in base of skull
Malignant gliomas
Acoustic neuromas
Pituitary tumors
Meningiomas

 Once treatment is finished, the head

frame is removed
Side effects from where the frame was
attached:
Mild headache
Minor swelling

 They are usually temporary

Fatigue
Swelling
Scalp or hair problems

scalp may be red or sensitive where the

device was attached to the patients head

 Permanent effects will

occur over time meaning

the effects will be seen
over a period of weeks to
months
Patients physician will
follow up with additional
imaging to assess their
progress

 Considered standard of care for its indications

No need for patients to have to shave their hair

Cost effective over open surgery
About the cost due to decreased recovery time

Generally reimbursed by insurance

So accurate that patients receive only one session
Patients can resume their normal routine very soon

after procedure

 Studies show strong treatment success

rates
Local control of tumors in any brain
location exceeds an average of 85%
50,000 patients are treated with
Gamma Knife/year

 Elekta (2013). Gamma knife. Retrieved from

http://www.gammaknife.com/
University of Texas. (2013). Gamma knife radiosurgery.
Retrieved from http://www.mdanderson.org/patientand-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancertopics/cancer-treatment/radiation/gamma-knife