Fractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Using Linear Accolerator in Brain Tumor and Arteriovenous Malformation

ABSTRACT

With a frame-based system, stereotactic dose of radiation is delivered to the target in one day. The patient is uncomfortable with a frame based system and the staff is forced to produce a treatment plan under time pressure. And then a single dose of radiation is delivered. Our frameless fractionated conformal stereotactic radiotherapy system uses markers, permanently placed in the head. There is more time to prepare and perform the treatment. The point reference system is a frameless system, allowing a separation in time between all of the steps in a stereotactic procedure. And these reference points allow physician precisely to set up the patient again and again. Our system is made to spare normal cells within target volume by fractionating the tumor dose. We have treated 43 patients with multifraction regimen using 6-MV linear accelerator. All patient tolerated the treatment well and no significant complication were seen. Although small in number experienced, this technique seems to be feasible and safe for treating brain tumor and vascular malformation.