Gamma Knife ICON: A Powerful Tool Against Brain Tumors

Gamma Knife ICON technology is like few other machines – its pinpoint accuracy allows physicians to radiate tumors without damaging nearby tissue. That’s a critical difference when a tumor – even one that isn’t cancerous – is found in a place in the body that requires care.

“While Gamma Knife is a refined and effective technology, and it can be a great fit for an active patient’s lifestyle,” said Kyle Arneson, MD, Avera Medical Group radiation oncologist. “Having a powerful tool like this allows us to treat tumors without surgery and with very little downtime.”

This non-invasive technology was first made available in this region at Avera Cancer Institute in Sioux Falls.

How many treatments does Gamma Knife require?

With a hectic schedule of family, friends and work, patients want effective, less invasive options to care for tumors and lesions of the brain.

So how about effective treatment accomplished in one session? That’s exactly what the Gamma Knife machine is capable of.

“Without Gamma Knife, patients may have faced surgery with potential complications — as well as significant recovery time — that come with that procedure,” said Arneson. “Often a single treatment with the Gamma Knife is all that is needed.”

Some tumors, due to their size and shape, may still be ideal targets for Gamma Knife. However, instead of a single treatment, anywhere from two to five shorter treatments would be required. For the ease of the patient, if more than one treatment is recommended, the team offers a personalized plastic mask to ensure the patient is positioned correctly within the upgraded Gamma Knife ICON unit.

How does Gamma Knife ICON work?

The Gamma Knife ICON itself is not a knife; it’s a large device that in some ways looks like a CT or MRI machine. Patients lie down on a table and professionals use the device to deliver the dose of radiation precisely on the tumor.

“We are blessed as a health system to have this tool at our disposal. It’s something not found elsewhere in the region,” Arneson said. “We see cases where this is the best possible approach.”

What are the benefits to the patient?

Gamma Knife treatment is often an alternative or an addition to the rare need for open surgery. If the patient needs follow-up radiation therapy, the number of sessions is greatly reduced.

In addition, Gamma Knife is a nonsurgical approach to eradicating tumors, so post-surgery recovery is shorter than regular surgery with a scalpel. There’s also no anesthesia involved. For those patients who are fighting cancer, this very short recovery means that there are minimal disruptions in other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.

Because the radiation can be specific to the tumor, there is also less radiation exposure and risk of damage to surrounding brain tissue, which can create physical and mental side effects.