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Gamma Knife: Technical Aspects

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Book cover Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery

Abstract

Lars Leksell designed the Gamma Knife® unit (Figure 58-1 ) from the ground up to be a tool of the neurosurgeon. The physics and engineering choices inherent in the design of the unit is perhaps best considered from the perspective of a surgeon end-user. Of all of the radiosurgical tools, the Gamma Knife is the oldest and best established. Since its first conception by Lars Leksell and Börje Larsson, the system has evolved through several generations of improvements; however the basic principles of the instrument remain primarily unchanged. This chapter will describe the physical principles and method of operation of the Gamma Knife, paying particular attention to the new features and changes found in the recently released Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Note that this is not as critical an issue for the Perfexion model Gamma Knife as it has a significantly larger available treatment volume. For the Perfexion, the optimal frame placement is generally neutral, with the frame centered on the midline of the head.

  2. 2.

    A reader interested in inverse planning for the Gamma knife may find references [23 – 25] useful. These methods have met little commercial acceptance in the Gamma Knife community.

  3. 3.

    Note that some institutions use a superposition method to achieve isocenters with intermediate sizes [27].

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Authors
  1. D. J. Schlesinger
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  2. C. P. Yen
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  3. C. Lindquist
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  4. L. Steiner
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Research Chair in Neuroscience (Tier 1), 399 Bathurst St. WW 4-447, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Andres M. Lozano (Professor of Surgery and RR Tasker Chair in Functional Neurosurgery University of Toronto Senior Scientist, Toronto Western Research Institute President, World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery) (Professor of Surgery and RR Tasker Chair in Functional Neurosurgery University of Toronto Senior Scientist, Toronto Western Research Institute President, World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery)

  2. Houston Stereotactic Concepts, Inc., 2260 West Holcombe Boulevard Suite 309, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA

    Philip L. Gildenberg

  3. University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St. WW 4-447, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Ronald R. Tasker

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© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Schlesinger, D.J., Yen, C.P., Lindquist, C., Steiner, L. (2009). Gamma Knife: Technical Aspects. In: Lozano, A.M., Gildenberg, P.L., Tasker, R.R. (eds) Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69960-6_58

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69960-6_58

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-69959-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69960-6

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