The Leksell Gamma Knife
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Leksell Gamma Knife, providing the very latest technology in stereotactic
radiosurgery, has been installed at the Sidney
Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Our multidisciplinary
Radiosurgery team is available for consultation and treatment. |
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Overview
The Gamma Knife is not a knife at all, but a radiosurgery device that
enables doctors to treat deep-seated intracranial lesions without the
risks of open-skull surgery. Hundreds of precisely targeted beams of cobalt
gamma radiation converge on a single point to painlessly "cut"
through brain tumors, blood vessel malformations, and other brain abnormalities.
This leading edge technology makes it possible for physicians to reach
even the deepest recesses of the brain and correct disorders not treatable
with conventional surgery. As a result, patients have less discomfort
and much shorter recover periods. |
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 Is
Gamma Knife Right for Me?
The safety and effectiveness of gamma knife make it the optimal choice
for treating a wide variety of brain disorders. Patients with the following
conditions should consider gamma knife as well as patients concerned about
the rigors of conventional surgery because of other health conditions
such as high blood pressure or heart disease.
The Gamma Knife involves no incision, minimal
pain and greatly reduced risk for the patient. In addition, it offers
new hope for a variety of lesions that previously were unsuccessfully
treated by conventional surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
 Disorders
Treated:
Brain Cancers and Tumors:
Brain metastases (cancers that have spread from their original site to
the brain)
Chordoma
Craniopharyngioma
Glioma
Hemangioblastoma
Meningioma
Pineal tumors
Pituitary adenoma
Vascular Disorders:
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
Arteriovenous fistulas (AVF)
Cavernomas
Functional Disorders:
Trigeminal neuralgia
Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
 In
addition to its high success rate, radiosurgery with the Gamma Knife offers
tremendous technical accuracy, so a high dose of radiation can be delivered
to a target with minimum risk to nearby tissues and structures. Since
there is no incision, there are no surgical risks such as infection and
there is little patient discomfort. The patient may be lightly sedated
but is awake throughout the procedure. Hospitalization is short—at most
an overnight stay, with the majority of patients being treated on an outpatient
basis.
 Why
Gamma Knife at Johns Hopkins?
The safety and effectiveness of gamma knife has been proven through thousands
of procedures performed at gamma knife centers around the world. The Johns
Hopkins gamma knife represents the most technologically advanced equipment
on the market today. Using the latest in physics, robotics and computer
technology, procedures can be performed in a shorter time period with
unmatched precision.
No matter how sophisticated the equipment,
it is only as good as those that use it. The Gamma Knife at Johns Hopkins
is part of our multi-speciality Stereotactic Radiosurgery Program that
brings together Johns Hopkins brain disorders experts in neurosurgery,
radiosurgery, radiation oncology and radiology to plan and direct treatment.
Specialized technicians and nurses round out the treatment team for the
ideal balance of technology and compassionate care.
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Gamma knife helmets |
Collimators
4mm, 8mm, 14mm, 18mm
depending on size needed to accurately target lesion |
Helmet installed
in the gamma knife |
Target rays reach
only the tumor, not healthy tissue |
Other Treatment
Options
Johns Hopkins offers a
variety of therapies for managing brain tumors and other neurological
disorders for which gamma knife is not an appropriate treatment choice.
Our experts will discuss other options and help guide patients in choosing
an alternate treatment plan.
How
to Make an Appointment or Refer a Patient
> Go
to our Contact Us page for more information |
