Physicians are able to localize the target, and the patient's head is positioned within a collimator helmet. Physicians use computer software to create a three-dimensional model to match the shape of the target. The radiation dose is determined by the lesion's pathology, location, size and prior therapy. The targeted area receives 201 beams of cobalt-60, enough radiation to cause damage to the lesion while sparing adjacent tissue. The head frame is removed after the procedure, and the patient is evaluated for discharge.
Patients are able to resume their normal activities the next day.
UW physicians have been performing radiosurgery since 1984 and have treated several hundred patients with a variety of diseases. Each device has its special applications, and patients are treated by the appropriate techniques. The UW Physicians Neurologic Institute radiosurgery effort is unique because of the comprehensive access to these multiple techniques and technologies, Winn said.