Gamma knife radiosurgery of meningiomas

Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 1991;57(1-2):11-21. doi: 10.1159/000099552.

Abstract

Fifty patients with meningiomas were treated during the initial 30 months experience using the 201 source cobalt-60 gamma knife at the University of Pittsburgh. The most frequent site of origin was the skull base. Stereotactic radiosurgery was the primary treatment modality in 16 (32%) patients with symptomatic tumors demonstrated by neuroimaging. Thirty-six patients (72%) had undergone at least one craniotomy, and 4 patients (8%) previously had fractionated external beam radiation therapy. The proximity of cranial nerves, vascular, pituitary and brainstem structures to the often convoluted tumor mass was crucial to dose selection. Follow-up imaging studies and clinical analysis of patients were performed at 6-month intervals. The actuarial 2-year tumor control rate was 96%. Only 2 patients have shown delayed tumor growth outside the radiosurgical treatment volume. To date, stereotactic radiosurgery proved to be a relatively safe and effective therapy for selected patients with symptomatic meningiomas, either as an adjuvant treatment to prior resection, or as a primary treatment alternative for patients whose advanced age, medical condition or high-risk tumor location mitigated against surgical resection.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Edema / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Edema / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Meningioma / diagnosis
  • Meningioma / pathology
  • Meningioma / surgery*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy
  • Nervous System Diseases / etiology
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Radiosurgery* / instrumentation
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed