Stereotactic radiotherapy is a treatment that delivers radiation to a target lesion with precision and accuracy to within one millimeter. With this level of precision, we can minimize the amount of radiation to surrounding brain tissue and allow higher doses of radiation to be delivered compared with standard radiation therapy techniques. At Virginia Mason, we offer this treatment for a variety of intracranial disorders, including malignant brain tumors, pituitary tumors, meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, vascular malformations and others.

This treatment is especially useful as an alternative to surgery in situations when surgery may be associated with a significant risk of complications. We use a noninvasive technique with rigid masks for immobilization. Implanted fiducial markers are used as a reference system for accurate patient setup. This system is quite flexible such that the radiation treatment can be delivered in a single session (stereotactic radiosurgery) or over several days with multiple sessions (stereotactic radiotherapy). In some instances, stereotactic radiotherapy may be more advantageous than stereotactic radiosurgery because it can potentially minimize the risk of late complications from the treatment by reducing the amount of radiation delivered in each session.

The treatment program is designed and delivered by a team of well-qualified, experienced physicians, including the neuro-oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon and radiologist. Additional members of the team include the radiation physicist, dosimetrist, nurse and radiation therapist.