title: Stereotactic radiosurgery using the Leksell Gamma Knife: current trends and future directives.
abstract: Stereotactic radiosurgery is the extremely precise administration of a radiation dosage in three-dimensional space to treat an increasingly broad spectrum of intracranial and skull-base lesions. 455 patients with various indications were treated using the 201 Source Co-60 Leksell Model "B" Gamma Knife(r) at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. 273 (60.2%) patients received radiosurgery as the first line of treatment for their disease. The mean Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of the patients was 70. Cerebral metastases were the main indications for radiosurgery at our center accounting for 27% of the patients, while meningioma, AVM, trigeminal neuralgia, movement disorders, and primary CNS malignant tumors were the other indications. Our institutional experience and results indicate that low incidence of complications coupled with a high tumor control rate makes Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery a viable option for patients who must undergo neurosurgery. As the Gamma Knife continues to prove itself as a first-line treatment of many complex brain disorders, new indications for this technology will continue to emerge, further broadening the scope of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130, USA. ajawah@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawahar
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Jawahar
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Elrod
authors.forename: Merilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: J Steven
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minagar
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*