How Brain Radiosurgery Targets Tumors with Precision

How Brain Radiosurgery Targets Tumors with Precision

Blog Article

Brain radiosurgery employs advanced technologies to precisely target tumors in the brain while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. The strategy involves delivering high doses of radiation to the tumor with subillimeter accuracy. Here's an overview of how brain radiosurgery achieves precise tumor targeting:

1. Imaging Modalities:
   
   
   
   • MRI, CT, PET Scans: Prior to treatment, imaging modalities such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tom (CT), anditron Emission Tomography (PET scans are used to create detailed 3D images of the brain and tumor.
   
   
   
   


2. Treatment Planning:
   
   
   
   • Stereotactic Coordinates: Radiosurgery uses stereotactic coordinates derived from imaging to precisely locate the tumor's position within the brain.
   
   
   • Treatment Plan: A team of radiation oncologists and medical physicists design a treatment plan that determines the radiation dose, beam angles, and treatment duration to target the tumor accurately.
   
   
   
   


3. Precise Delivery:
   
   
   
   • Linear Accelerator (LINAC): High-energy X-rays are emitted from a linear accelerator (LINAC) or other specialized devices to deliver radiation to the tumor.
   
   
   • Gammaknife or CyberKnife: Robotic systems like Gammaknife or CyberKnife use computer-controlled robotics to deliver radiation from multiple angles, focusing on the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy brain tissue.
   
   
   
   


4. Real-Time Tumor Tracking:
   
   
   
   • Image Guidance: During treatment, real-time imaging techniques ensure continuous monitoring and adjustments to account for any movement of the tumor or the patient's head.
   
   
   • Respiratory Gating: For tumors affected by breathing movements, respiratory gating techniques synchronize radiation delivery with the patient's breathing cycle to maintain targeting accuracy.
   
   
   
   


5. Inverse Treatment Planning:
   
   
   
   • Optimization Algorithms: Inverse treatment planning algorithms optimize the radiation dose distribution, shaping the radiation beams to conform precisely to the size and shape of the tumor while minimizing exposure to critical nearby structures.
   
   
   
   


6. Motion Management:
   
   
   
   • Gantry Rotation: In systems like CyberKnife, the gantry can rotate 360 degrees around the patient, delivering radiation from multiple angles to intersect at the tumor site.
   
   
   • Tracking Systems: Advanced tracking systems adjust for patient movement or tumor shifts during treatment, ensuring the radiation remains focused on the target.
   
   
   
   


7. Dose Fractionation:
   
   
   
   • Single vs. Fractionated Dosing: Depending on the tumor type and location, radiosurgery may deliver a high dose of radiation in a single session (Stereotactic Radiosurgery) or fractionate the dose over multiple sessions (Stereotactic Radiotherapy) for improved tolerance by healthy tissue
     
     Attribution Statement:
     
     This article is a modified version of content originally posted on RSNY