What is stereotactic brain radiation?
What is stereotactic brain radiation?
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a type of radiation therapy that uses narrow beams of radiation coming from different angles to very precisely deliver radiation to a brain tumor while sparing the surrounding normal tissue.
How long do side effects of brain radiation last?
Radiotherapy to the brain can cause short term side effects such as tiredness and sickness. These side effects usually improve a few weeks after treatment. You may also have long term side effects which can continue for a lot longer and sometimes might be permanent.
What is stereotactic craniotomy?
Stereotactic craniotomy gives your neurosurgeon a three-dimensional (3D) image of your brain tumor. It tells the surgeon exactly where the tumor is located inside the brain. It also shows the difference between tumor tissue and healthy brain tissue. This helps your neurosurgeon avoid healthy tissue as much as possible.
What is the difference between stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery?
The difference between stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy has to do with the intensity and duration of the radiation treatments. Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers radiation at a very high intensity, all at once, to a small area.
Does radiation to the brain cause brain damage?
Radiation to the brain can also have side effects that show up later – usually from 6 months to many years after treatment ends. These delayed effects can include serious problems such as memory loss, stroke-like symptoms, and poor brain function.
How many times can you have radiation on the brain?
Whole-brain radiation applies radiation to the entire brain in order to kill tumor cells. People undergoing whole-brain radiation usually require 10 to 15 treatments over two to three weeks. Side effects may include fatigue, nausea and hair loss.
What is stereotactic radiosurgery, and what conditions does it treat?
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) uses many precisely focused radiation beams to treat tumors and other problems in the brain, neck, lungs, liver, spine and other parts of the body. It is not surgery in the traditional sense because there’s no incision.
What to expect with stereotactic radiosurgery?
Before the procedure. LINAC stereotactic radiosurgery of the brain is typically delivered with a soft plastic mask that forms to your face.
What are the side effects of stereotactic radiosurgery?
Fatigue. Tiredness and fatigue may occur for the first few weeks after Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
What are the effects of radiation treatment on the brain?
Effects on brain function. Radiation can cause changes in the brain tissue. Small blood vessels may slowly become scarred and blocked, reducing the blood supply to some areas of the brain. The symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on how much radiation damage there is.
