Early Experience in Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Korea

ABSTRACT

Asan Medical Center has installed the first Korean and Asian 201 Cobalt 60 sources gamma knife for stereotactic radiosurgery of intracranial tumors and arteriovenous malformations. The Unit became operational at the center on May 7, 1990. In the first 4 months of it's operation, we treated 69 patients. However the unit unfortunately became disabled from heavy flooding on September 11, 190. The new unit has been operational since May 6, 1991 and we have added 105 more patients to make a total of 174 patients(61 with arteriovenous malformations, 113 with brain tumors23 with acoustic 174 patients(61 with arteriovenous malformations, 113 with brain tumors23 with acoustic neurinomas, 19 with meningiomas, 15 with pituitary tumors, 13 with metastatic tumors, 9 with astrocytomas, 7 with angiographically occult vascular malformations, 6 with seizure disorders who had discrete areas of bliotic changes on neuroimaging studies and 6 with schwannomas. etc). With accumulated experience of more than 6000 patients world treated with the gamma knife unit and with our own experience obtained in a short period of time, it is accurate to say that the gamma knife radiosurgery offers innovative and effective means to treat various intracranial lesions for selected patients.