Hi all, Ramin Rak back again with another blog post about my work as a neurosurgeon with Neurological Surgery, P.C. I specialize in treating disorders related to the brain and spine, and frequently treat benign and malignant brain tumors with the NSPC Brain Tumor Center.
One way that I treat these tumors is by performing stereotactic radiosurgery.
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a form of radiation therapy where high-powered x-rays are focused on a small area of the body where a tumor is located.
This procedure not only does a better job of targeting the specific area where the tumor is located but also is safer because it is less likely to affect surrounding tissue. Certain types of stereotactic radiosurgery, such as the Cyberknife and Gamma Knife procedures, require the use of a fitted face mask or frame that goes over the scalp.
Despite its name, stereotactic radiosurgery is not a surgical procedure.
This treatment is intended to shrink tumors solely by using targeted radiation. I recommend this option for individuals with small, deep tumors that would be hard to remove during surgery as well as individuals who are unable to have surgery, such as the sick or elderly.
During this procedure, the patient will lie down on a treatment table, which then slides into the treatment machine.
Radiation is applied in sessions that last between 30 minutes and one hour. Usually no more than five treatment sessions are necessary, but the exact number of needed sessions will be determined based on the type and size of the tumor.
While it is most common for stereotactic radiosurgery to be used for non-surgically addressing tumors, it can also be used following surgery to remove abnormal tissue left behind following surgery.
If you have any questions about stereotactic radiosurgery or other complex brain and spine procedures, check to see if I have addressed them on my Quora.
Thank you for reading,
Ramin Rak
