立体定向 radiosurgery, also known as stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), is a minimally invasive treatment for many tumors, abnormalities and functional disorders of the brain, head or upper neck. Although called radiosurgery, the procedure does not require a surgical incision. 我们称之为手术 because stereotactic radiosurgery can have the same precision and result as open surgery, but with the advantages of a minimally invasive procedure.
With minimally invasive stereotactic radiosurgery, it is not necessary to open the skull to treat tumors or lesions in the brain. 立体定向 radiosurgery is also a good alternative to whole brain radiation therapy, as radiation exposure is limited to 治疗地点 while other areas of 头部和颈部 are not affected.
In performing stereotactic radiosurgery, physicians use sophisticated technology to direct powerful, beams of ionizing radiation to the tumor or abnormality. Because the radiation is so precisely focused, nearby healthy tissues and other structures are unharmed. Since no incision is required, the procedure is virtually painless. 病人 return home the same day and can resume normal activities right away.
The three types of stereotactic radiosurgery are:
- 钴-60基（光子）
- 粒子束（质子）
- Linear accelerator-based (linac)
What conditions are treated with stereotactic radiosurgery?
立体定向 radiosurgery can treat:
- Metastatic brain tumors (tumors originally arising outside of the brain, such as lung cancer or breast cancer)
- Benign (non-cancerous) brain tumors, such as acoustic neuromas, meningiomas 垂体瘤
- Malignant (cancerous) brain tumors
- Arteriovenous malformations (a disorder of the blood vessels)
- 三叉neuraligia
- Certain seizure disorders
立体定向 radiosurgery is an excellent option for patients who are not good candidates for traditional open surgery, including patients whose 肿瘤或病变是：
- Inaccessible through open surgery
- Located very close to arteries, nerves and other important structures in 头部和颈部
How does stereotactic radiosurgery work?
As with other forms of radiation treatment, stereotactic radiosurgery does not remove the tumor or lesion. Rather, the radiation breaks the DNA in tumor cells so they are unable to reproduce. As a result, the targeted lesion is converted to dead scar tissue and often becomes smaller over time.
With stereotactic radiosurgery, trained neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and other experts use 3-D computer-aided planning to map out the procedure according to each patient's condition. Based on the computer mapping, they apply complex technology to very accurately deliver radiation to 治疗地点.
Shrinkage of the tumor or lesion can take anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on the normal growth rate of the abnormality. 快速增长的 lesions, like malignant or metastatic tumors, tend to shrink more quickly than benign tumors and blood vessel defects.
