About Gamma Knife®

WHAT IS THE GAMMA KNIFE®?

Not actually a knife at all, the Gamma Knife is a revolutionary device that has become a well-accepted standard of care for a minimally-invasive surgical treatment of inaccessible or inoperable malignant and benign brain tumors, arterio venous malformations (AVMs) and certain functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia. It works by harnessing the power generated by 201 cobalt 60 radiation beams, all simultaneously directed at a precise target previously defined by advanced imaging techniques. At the site where the 201 beams converge, enough radiation is generated to destroy a tumor or lesion deep within the brain. The beams are focused with such precision that radiation is delivered only to the target, sparing surrounding healthy tissue, blood vessels and nerves.

The Long Island Gamma Knife® at South Nassau is the most advanced in the region, incorporating the Leksell GammaPlan® Wizard and the Automated Positioning System (APS) to ensure treatment planning accuracy. The Wizard is sophisticated software that enables physicians to precisely conform the radiation to the delivery site, even if the target is irregularly shaped. The Wizard imports imaging data and creates a three-dimensional suggested treatment plan. The clinician maintains ultimate control over treatment planning, and has the ability to accept or alter the computer-generated plan at any time. The APS is an automated system that determines coordinates for placement of the head frame, which is worn by the patient during treatment. The APS also re-positions patients during treatment. Data accuracy is preserved through the electronic transfer of information from the Wizard to the APS to the Gamma Knife.

More than 150,000 patients have been treated with the Gamma Knife worldwide. Results of Gamma Knife treatment are documented in more than 1,500 peer-reviewed published clinical papers.