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All About the Gamma Knife About the
Procedure The patient arrives at the hospital the morning of the procedure and is started on intravenous fluids. The surgeon then affixes the stereotactic frame to the patient's head using small pins the size of a pencil tip. The head frame is a guiding device which makes sure the Gamma Knife beams are focused exactly where the treatment is needed. Mild sedation and a local anesthetic for the pin sites are administered prior to headframe placement. The patient then undergoes the appropriate imaging studies (MRI, CT and/or angiography) to precisely localize the target tissue to be treated in reference to the attached head frame. While the patient rests, the team of Gamma Knife physicians and technicians utilizes
three dimensional computer imaging to develop the patient's radiosurgical treatment plan.
This typically takes one to two hours to complete. Once the individualized treatment plan is completed, the patient is placed on the Gamma Knife couch. The stereotactic frame is attached to the collimator helmet containing the 201 portals through which the radiation beams are focused and set to the target coordinates. After all stereotactic coordinates are checked, the couch is moved into the unit by an electrical motor and treatment begins. During the treatment, there is no noise and the patient feels no pain. Communication is maintained with the patient at all times via video cameras and an intercom. Treatment time typically varies between 20 minutes and two hours depending on the complexity of the treatment plan and number of isocenters required. At the conclusion of the treatment, the stereotactic frame is removed and the patient is sent to his or her room after a brief period of observation. Occasionally, patients are observed overnight before being discharged and sent home. They can return to work and full activity the next day.
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