Neurosurgery

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Mount Sinai Neurosurgery offers Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), which is a “surgery without surgery.” SRS uses multiple beams of highly focused radiation, each from a different direction, to target lesions in the brain or spine, there is no incision, no bleeding, and no hospital stay. Patients generally recover quickly and resume regular activities shortly after treatment. SRS can be used as a stand-alone treatment or as a supplement to traditional treatments such as surgery, conventional radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and pain management.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Technology

The Department of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai offers the most advanced stereotactic radiosurgery technology available, including :

  • Gamma Knife Perfexion 
  • Novalis Tx Radiosurgery System

These state-of-the-art technologies pinpoint and target lesions with sub-millimeter accuracy by combining three dimensional images, x-ray-based localization technology, and a revolutionary beam-focusing technology called multi-leaf collimation. During treatment, the shape of the beam is continuously matched to the size and shape of the lesion, delivering the optimal dosage of radiation without affecting the surrounding tissue. Combined with an advanced positioning system, stereotactic radiosurgery offers high patient comfort and short set-up times. It is often possible to complete treatment in a single session.

Benefits Stereotactic Radiosurgery

The individual beams in stereotactic radiosurgery are not strong enough to harm the healthy tissue they pass through, but when they converge at the site of the lesion, their combined power can destroy the abnormal cells or interfere with their ability to multiply. There are many clinical and safety benefits to treat brain and spine tumors and lesions, including:

  • Preventing the lesion from growing and, in some cases, cause it to shrink
  • Providing a higher and more effective level of radiation than conventional treatments, while sparing healthy tissue (particularly beneficial when the treatment field is deep or close to vital areas)
  • Reducing risks and improving outcomes
  • Less disruptive to quality of life than traditional open surgery
  • Shorter patient treatment times
  • Improved comfort for the patient
  • No overnight stay at hospital, with patients resuming normal activities shortly after treatment
  • For spinal metastasis, providing pain relief in more than 90 percent of cases within days after treatment

Candidates for Stereotactic Radiosurgery

The multidisciplinary radiosurgery team at Mount Sinai includes neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuroradiologists, oncologists, therapists, and advanced practice providers, who meet weekly to discuss and review medical records, imaging studies, and treatment history of each candidate for SRS. Based on this review, the team recommends a final treatment plan that may include SRS alone or in conjunction with surgery, conventional radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Mount Sinai is dedicated to collaborating with patients and referring physicians to provide an individualized plan of treatment with a focus on compassion and quality of life. Stereotactic radiosurgery can be used to treat multiple neurosurgical diseases, including:

  • Benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spine
  • Acoustic neuromas
  • Metastasis
  • Gliomas and glioblastomas (GBM)
  • Pituitary adenomas
  • Meningiomas
  • Recurrent brain tumors
  • Spinal tumors
  • Other lesions of the brain
  • Intractable seizures (refractory epilepsy)
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain and spine
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