gamma knife treatment

    
      Re: gamma knife treatment
    


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Posted by CCF Neuro MD on April 08, 1997 at 08:30:01:

In Reply to: gamma knife treatment posted by Martie on April 08, 1997 at 08:28:50:

: This Message was posted by: Martie -  3/31/97 12:40:20 PM
  Message:
  I just had gamma knife treatment @ Univ of Virginia last week. Can you give me some info on what to expect (if anything) for
  the six months I am waiting for first MRI? Also, info on patients' responses, evaluation of treatment by docs etc. Thanks in
  advance.
  MLP
=====================================================
The gamma "knife" as you probably know focuses many different beams of radiation from all directions on a single
3-dimensional point in space, much in the same way a magnifying glass focuses the rays of the sun onto a single point if held at
the proper distance from the ground. In the case of the gamma knife, often a tumor or arteriovenous malformation is the target
at the center of all these radiation beams, with very little radiation being delivered to the rest of the brain--- analagous to the
aforementioned magnifying glass being able to burn an ant or leaf in the center of the rays, but have little effect on the
surrounding pavement or ground. As to what to expect over the next six months, hopefully nothing other than the obliteration of
whatever lesion you had the treatment for. Things that can and sometimes do happen and to be watchful for, however, include
swelling around the lesion, manifested by an increase in your previous symptoms, headaches, especially if accompanied by
nausea, vimitng, and/or
double or bluured vision. Although such swelling typically occurs in the first several weeks after treatment, it is not impossible
for it to occur later, particularly in the case of tumors in the setting of being tapered off of corticosteroid medications used to
control such swelling. The response rate is variable for different disease entities and depends on their size, configuration, and
exact nature. Thus a detailed answer to this part of your question is impossible. Most patients, in general, do quite well with the
treatment, and in many cases, it offers an effective treatment option for conditions that would be otherwise inoperable and/or
untreatable without extraordinary risk. Delayed possible complications include radiation related injury that occurs beyond the
intended target site, damaging nearby brain; this is much less likely to be serious in the case of the gamma knife, since again,
virtually all of the radiation is focused on a single point in space and drops off very rapidly as one gets fyrther away from the
target point. i hope this information is helpful to you. Good luck with your treatment.