title: Long-term results of radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is known to safely result in a high obliteration rate for small and medium sized arteriovenous malformations (AVM).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term outcome of patients treated with SRS, with special emphasis given to obliteration and toxicity rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a review of 43 cerebral AVM patients, treated from 1998 to 2008 with a single SRS dose ranging from 21-25 Gy. Of these, 37 had a minimal follow-up of one year. Medical files were reviewed to assess patient and AVM characteristics, the SRS treatment, therapy prior to SRS, the obliteration rate and toxicities. Whenever necessary, outcome data was supplemented by telephone interviews with the patient or treating physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AVM size was ≥3cm in diameter in 21% of patients. Five patients (11.6%) underwent surgery prior to SRS and 31 patients (72.1%) received one or more embolizations prior to SRS. Of the patients followed with angiography ≥1 year post-SRS, 89% (33/37) had a complete obliteration of the nidus, after a median time of 24.7 months post-treatment. Embolization prior to SRS was not predictive of outcome. One patient suffered a non-fatal haemorrhage between treatment and obliteration. The rate of symptomatic radiation-induced radiological changes was 8.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows both obliteration and complication rates in the upper limit of those reported in the literature. SRS seems an attractive treatment option for small AVMs. Unlike other reports, the prior use of embolization did not impact negatively on obliteration rates.
authors: Radiation Oncology Department, McGill University Health Center, Canada. Magali.lecavalier@mail.mcgill.ca
authors: Magali
authors: M
authors: Lecavalier-Barsoum
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Roy
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Doucet
authors: Bernard
authors: B
authors: Fortin
authors: Carole
authors: C
authors: Lambert
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Moumdjian
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Bahary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult