Gamma Knife

The Gamma Knife is a non-invasive radiosurgery system that delivers a single high dose of radiation to well defined targets in the brain. The Gamma Knife is commonly used for the treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors, but many patients have been treated for a variety of medical conditions since the UCSF Gamma Knife opened in September, 1991. Gamma Knife radiosurgery is an excellent choice for treatment of:

• Brain metastases
• Meningiomas
• Acoustic neuromas
• Pituitary adenomas
• Gliomas
• Arteriovenous malformations
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Uncommon skull base tumors

At UCSF, we use a team approach to care for our Gamma Knife patients. The Gamma Knife team includes radiation oncologists, neurosurgeons, physicists, radiation therapists, and nurses. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Conference is held every Thursday afternoon. Each patient being considered for Gamma Knife treatment is discussed, and follow-up scans for treated patients are reviewed to ensure quality care. We treat five to eight patients with the Gamma Knife each week. Read about the experience of a Gamma Knife patient.

UCSF's Gamma Knife Perfexion unit, installed in 2007, includes an automated positioning system that offers even faster and more efficient treatments.

For more information please see: http://www.elekta.com/patientus.nsf

Gamma-Knife Program (Penny Sneed MD and Michael McDermot, Co-director)