title: Stereotactic heavy-ion Bragg peak radiosurgery for intra-cranial vascular disorders: method for treatment of deep arteriovenous malformations.
abstract: The present paper represents the first clinical report of the use of stereotactically-directed narrow beams of helium ions from the 184-inch Synchrocyclotron at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory for the radiosurgical treatment of life-threatening vascular disorders of the brain, including inoperable or inaccessible deep arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and carotid artery-cavernous sinus fistulas ( CCFs ). We describe the methods developed for stereotactic neuroradiological imaging and stereotactic helium-ion Bragg peak radiosurgery in the evaluation and treatment of the first 55 patients with deep AVMs in a clinical research protocol. We discuss the diagnosis and epidemiological characteristics of the diseases, the neurosurgical and radiosurgical methods of treatment available and the initial experience of stereotactic helium-ion Bragg peak radiosurgery , including stereotactic neuroradiological evaluation, treatment planning, heavy-ion beams, patient treatment protocol, early clinical results, patient evaluation and follow-up studies planned, and conclusions thus far obtained.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed