Stereotactic radiosurgery in children and adolescents

Stereotactic radiosurgery has had an increasing role in the treatment of selected intracranial lesions in pediatric patients. In our first 44 months experience, 60 of the patients (9%) treated were less than or equal to 18 years of age. Current indications for radiosurgery include primary treatment of high-risk arteriovenous malformations or acoustic neurinomas (usually in patients with neurofibromatosis), adjuvant treatment for recurrent benign tumors after surgery, or as adjuvant treatment to fractionated irradiation for malignant tumors.