Radiosurgery of brain metastases with the Gamma Knife.
A total of 130 patients with metastatic brain tumors were treated with the Gamma Knife; 85 had multiple lesions. The marginal dose was 14-30 Gy for the initial 20 cases during the first 6 months. Thereafter, we increased the marginal dose to between 25 and 30 Gy for the last 110 cases. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 49 months (mean 9 months). The recurrence rate fell from 20% for the early low-dose cases to 4.6% for the later 110 higher-dose cases (p = 0.043). Transient neurological deterioration developed in 7 cases (5.4%), and permanent neurological deficits were recognized in a further 6 cases (4.6%). The relatively high prescription dose of 25-30 Gy at the margin of brain metastases treated with the Gamma Knife resulted in an acceptably high control rate with a low rate of complications.
Fukuoka
S
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Nakamura Memorial Hospital, Hokkaido Brain Research Foundation, Sapporo, Japan.
Seo
Y
Y
Takanashi
M
M
Takahashi
S
S
Suematsu
K
K
Nakamura
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate