Acoustic Neuroma Foundation, talk about acoustic neuroma, its symptoms and preventions

Gamma Knife Treatment of Acoustic Neuroma

Gamma knife procedure

     Gamma knife procedure is a method of irradiating the tumor, which was invented by Lars Leksell in the year 1971. This is an 18-ton machine with 201 permanently mounted cobalt 60 sources arranged spherically around the patients’head. These sourc3es emits gamma radiation, just like the diagnostic x-ray but with a higher energy.
     The gamma knife is precise down to the half a millimeter or even less (about 1/50 of an inch). Thus, a high dose of radiation can be delivered to targets with little harm to important sensitive structures just millimeters away or even adjacent to the surface.
     Gamma knife is usually recommended only for higher-risk surgical causes because of the possibilities of late radiation implications. It does not generally makes tumors go away. Hearing loss generally continues to progress after radio therapy (Kaplan et al, 2003).
     Delayed facial weakness and facial numbness also occur in 1/3 of patients. Gamma knife treatment can be repeated without increased risk if the Acoustic Neuroma did not respond as expected to the first treatment.

Orginal essay by Maria Auren Bernido for Acoustic Neuroma Foundation (www.AcousticNeuromaFoundation.org)
First published on April 16, 2004.
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