Stereotactic radiosurgery is an incision-less treatment sometimes used for tumors and vascular conditions in the brain. To perform stereotactic radiosurgery, doctors take detailed 3-D scans of the brain. Using those scans, they program precise beams of radiation to enter from multiple angles. Each individual beam of radiation is relatively weak, but where they converge on the target, their additive effect is strong.The powerful dose of radiation disrupts the tumor’s DNA, preventing its cells from reproducing. Over the course of weeks or months, the tumor shuts down.
Stereotactic radiosurgery has several benefits: It is non-invasive, so does not entail surgical risks like infection, bleeding, or anesthesia complications. Discomfort and recovery time are minimal, so it is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. And it is designed to spare normal tissue around the tumor or vascular condition, even allowing doctors to access tissue that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Below is a video of Dr. Sisti giving an overview of radiosurgery and how he uses it for his patients.
