What Should a Patient Expect During Radiosurgery Treatment?

Once it has been determined that radiosurgery is an appropriate treatment option for a patient, the appointment process proceeds as efficiently as possible. For patients being treated with the Gamma Knife, one appointment will be scheduled by the Baylor Radiosurgery Center and your physicians office. Patients who will have CyberKnife treatment will have two appointments scheduled -- one for a special CT scan and the construction of a custom-made mask or body mold and the second for treatment.

Gamma Knife Patients
On the day of treatment, you will be asked to arrive early and receive a mild sedative. Wear comfortable clothing. Your neurosurgeon will inject a local anesthetic similar to one a dentist would use into your scalp and apply the head frame once the sedation takes effect. The frame may feel tight for a minute or so, but you will quickly accommodate to the feeling. Many patients spend the remainder of the waiting time watching television or reading.

With the frame in place, you will undergo an MRI or CT scan. If you have an AVM, you will also undergo an angiogram. During the next hour or two, physicians will use the Gamma Knife computer workstation to plan the details of your treatment. The treatment usually lasts from one to several hours, depending on the complexity of the plan.

During treatment, you will lay on a table that will slide you into the Gamma Knife machine up to your shoulders usually for five to ten minutes. The table will slide out while adjustments are made and the process is repeated until the plan is completed. The treatment is quiet, painless and many patients sleep through it. Many patients bring a CD to listen to music on the Gamma Knife stereo system or select one from the music library.

CyberKnife Patients
Treatment with the CyberKnife requires a special CT scan obtained a few days prior to your treatment. For treatment of the brain, a plastic mask is made at the time of the CT scan that fits snugly over your face and head. The mask will be used during treatment to hold your head steady and is thin and perforated with holes so you can easily see through it. For treatment locations outside the head, a body cradle is made that looks like a custom bed made to fit you.

During treatment, you are positioned precisely on the CyberKnife table. This may take as long as an hour. Patients are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and bring CDs to listen to music or a DVD to watch a movie during treatment in the ceiling mounted television.

You may be given sedation because it is important that you move as little as possible as the machine moves around you. Treatment may take from one to several hours, depending on the complexity of the plan. Breaks are taken as needed. Some treatments consist of one session in a single day and others may take up to five days. Your physician will advise you on the details of your plan.