Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic Radiosurgery is a precise and powerful type of radiation therapy that usually involves a single treatment of a very high dose of radiation in a focused location. No cutting is involved. The minmally invasive method of radiation therapy delivers a strong targeted dose of radiation to small areas, killing a small group of cells effectively.
Developed to treat small, deep brain tumors, stereotactic radiosurgery is now used to treat other problems and areas that are hard to reach or close to vital organs. Some examples of its use include:
- deep brain tumors
- residual tumor cells after surgery
- pituitary tumors
- cancers of the eye
- tangled blood vessels that leak and disrupt normal flow
- neurological problems, such as trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain)
- tumor in the lung, liver, abdomen, spine, prostate, head and neck
- Parkinson's disease
- epilepsy
The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center's Department of Radiation Oncology uses the TrueBeam™linear accelerator, a state-of-the-art radiation delivery platform that treats cancer with speed and accuracy. This versatile and powerful platform allows radiation oncologists to use Stereotactic Radiosurgery to treat challenging cancers throughout the body, including those in the brain, spine and liver, while avoiding healthy tissue. Because procedures are performed in a shorter amount of time, the experience is more comfortable and convenient for patients.