For patients

      -What is stereotactic radiosurgery?

Stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT), also called stereotactic external-beam radiation therapy and stereotaxic radiation therapy, is a type of external radiation therapy that uses special equipment to position the patient and precisely deliver radiation to a tumor. The total dose of radiation is divided into several smaller doses given over several days. . What differentiates Stereotactic from conventional radiotherapy is the precision with which it is delivered. There are multiple systems available, some of which use specially designed frames which physically attach to the patient's skull while newer more advanced techniques use thermoplastic masks and highly accurate imaging systems to locate the patient. The end result is the delivery of high doses of radiation with high accuracy.

Icon is a noninvasive, dedicated system for intracranial radiosurgery that is sometimes described as surgery without the scalpel. Icon is the sixth generation of Leksell Gamma Knife®, which has been the leading radiosurgery platform for more than 40 years. The treatment effect is created by focusing gamma radiation beams to a treatment target in a specific prescribed manner. More than 80,000 patients undergo Gamma Knife surgery every year. Regarded as the Gold Standard in intracranial radiosurgery, it is preferred for its extreme accuracy, efficiency and outstanding therapeutic response.

      -Indications for use

Icon can be used to treat a number of neurological disorders, including:

 -Brain metastases (cancer that has spread to the brain)

 -Recurrent gliomas (tumors that occur in the brain and spinal cord, arising from the gluey supportive tissue of the brain)

-Benign tumors such as meningiomas, which begin in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord

 -Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas), non cancerous growths that develop on the hearing and balance nerves near the inner ear

-Post-surgical pituitary tumors

-Vascular malformations such as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)

-Functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic condition causing severe facial pain

-Medication-refractory tremor

      -Procedure

1-Stereotactic Frame

— When you arrive you are given a mild sedative to help you relax.

— Your physician places the stereotactic head frame on your head, which allows pinpoint treatment accuracy and keeps your head from moving during your imaging / treatment sessions.

— After the administration of a local anesthetic to numb four areas, the frame is secured to your head with four pins.

— For imaging, a coordinate box is placed on the head frame. The purpose of the coordinate box is to provide reference points on the images, to be used for treatment planning. After imaging, the coordinate box is removed.

2-Stereotactic Mask

— Prior to your actual treatment day, you come to the clinic to have a custom face mask made.

— Once you check in, you are escorted into the treatment suite, where you lie down on the treatment couch.

— The mask is made of breathable material that becomes flexible when heated. While the material is flexible, it is placed over your face and shaped to your specific facial contours, with an opening around your nose.

— After a few minutes the formed mask begins to set up and is removed.

— Your mask continues to set up so, once fully set, it will securely hold your head still. When you are positioned for your Icon treatment, you will notice that it fits snugly.

— A cushion is also custom shaped to support your head during

What are the side effects?

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is so precise that minimal damage occurs to healthy tissues surrounding the treatment target. There may actually be a lower risk of side effects than with other types of radiation therapy. Be sure to discuss potential side effects with your physician. Potential risks and side effects may include:

- For frame treatments, there may be tenderness where the frame was secured to the head

-Nausea and vomiting

-Dizziness

-Headaches

-Hair loss in the treatment area

  -Instructions& Info

-As there is no surgical incision, Gamma Knife treatment does not require your head to be shaved.

-The radiation is invisible and does not hurt. Some treatments use a head frame to hold your head still during the treatment and, when this is the case, there might be mild pain from administration of a local anesthetic or a pressure sensation when the frame is applied. With a relaxing couch and music, you may find yourself like many patients, who drift asleep and wake up wondering when treatment will begin.

-Your head frame or mask is secured during treatment and special accessories support you to help you lie very still. If you move beyond the strict parameters established, the system will instantly block the radiation.

-While the radiation is being delivered, you are alone in the treatment room. However, you and your clinical team can communicate at any time by intercom or hand signal.

-The treatment does not make you radioactive. The radiation delivered during the treatment does not remain in your body.

      -Videos and photos