Gamma Knife and CyberKnife Radiosurgery Program
Gamma Knife®
Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a sophisticated radiation therapy technique that precisely delivers a single, finely focused, high dose of radiation to well-defined, small targets in teh brain. It is especially effective for treating tumors, epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia, and arteriovenour malformations. Since UCSF adopted the Gamma Knife in 1991, it has greatly improved the prognosis of patients with these disorders. The procedure entails very little discomfort and patients recuperate within a few hours. UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Children's Hospital were the first Gamma Knife centers in northern California and operate today with the latest model, the Perfexion® Gamma Knife. The UCSF Gamma Knife team has over 17 years of experience with radiosurgery and has treated over 3,400 patients to date. For more information about the Gamma Knife, visit www.elekta.com/patientus.nsf (from the manufacturer).
FAQ about Gamma Knife radiosurgery at UCSF
FAQ about Gamma Knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia
CyberKnife®
For the treatment of spine tumors or intracranial tumors not amenable to Gamma Knife radiosurgery, Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery clinicians use a radiosurgery system called the CyberKnife®. UCSF is one of the few centers in California to offer this treatment and recently updated to the latest version of the machine in October 2008. It is a noninvasive system that combines robotics and advanced image guidance, which adjust for a patient's movements and map the precise location of the patient and the lesion during treatment. The CyberKnife® offers patients a number of of advantages over other therapies:
• Noninvasive, painless treatment
• Treatment in one to five sessions
• Focused radiation that delivers maximum dosage to the target abnormality without impacting healthy tissue
• No need for a frame to immobilize the patient during treatment