Polymer gel in rat skull to assess the accuracy of a new rat stereotactic device for use with the Gamma Knife.
OBJECTIVE
Accurate targeting is crucial for the irradiation of a small-volume animal brain. We propose an original method, based on a polymer gel, to determine the accuracy and reproducibility of irradiation using a new stereotactic frame.


METHODS
An in-house designed rat stereotactic frame, compatible with the Gamma Knife, was constructed. The rat brain was then removed through a small burr hole and the intracranial cavity was washed and filled with a polymer gel. This "gel brain" was irradiated by Gamma Knife and the irradiated volumes and coordinates were measured after the irradiation.


RESULTS
The position of the polymerized areas revealed that the stereotactic frame was able to accurately reproduce the same position of irradiation in each animal. The small standard deviation demonstrated the high reproducibility.


CONCLUSIONS
The polymer gel confirmed the ability of the rat stereotactic frame to accurately and reproducibly position a small animal for precise radiosurgery procedures.
Charest
Gabriel
G
Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H5H3, Canada. Gabriel.Charest@USherbrooke.ca
Mathieu
David
D
Lepage
Martin
M
Fortin
David
D
Paquette
Benoit
B
Sanche
Léon
L
D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000637:transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005782:Gels / Q000528:radiation effects; D005910:Glioma / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000639:trends
D005782:Gels