Advancements in Stereotactic Radiosurgery

At the 13th International Leksell Gamma Knife Society Meeting, held in May 2006 in Seoul (Korea), 300 leading neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and the Leksell gamma knife users were given an introduction to the Leksell system, the Gamma Knife Perfexion, which was developed by Elekta, Inc. (Stockholm, Sweden).

With this system, more patients can now benefit from gamma knife surgery.
Compared to earlier models, Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion allows for a greatly increased treatable volume. Subsequently, this new system is estimated to increase the number of patients that can benefit from gamma knife surgery by up to 40%. The fully automated and efficient single push button approach is expected to save three to six working weeks of physician time per year at an average gamma knife center.

The patented collimator design provides the neurosurgeon or radiation oncologist with almost limitless ability for sculpting the dose to produce complex dose distributions with great accuracy. The new system also comes with Leksell GammaPlan PFX, a new client-based treatment planning system with remote capabilities that provides all the tools needed to make full use of the new features of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion.

Designed with patient and staff comfort in mind, the body dose to patient is up to 100 times less with Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, compared with competing technologies, important not least for pediatric treatments and treatment of women of childbearing age. Room radiation levels are low enough to allow for a window into the treatment room and the system is accommodated within a normal-sized room. Taken together, these result in significantly reduced building costs for any hospital installing a radiosurgery unit.

The system was developed by Elekta in close collaboration with leading neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and physicists from Europe and the United States.



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