Gamma Knife radiosurgery for meningiomas arising from the tentorium: a 22-year experience

In order to evaluate long term clinical and imaging outcomes, the authors retrospectively reviewed our 22-year experience using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for tentorial meningiomas. Thirty-nine patients with tentorial meningiomas underwent SRS using various Gamma Knife technologies between 1988 and 2010. The most common presenting symptoms were headache, dizziness or disequilibrium, and ataxia. The median tumor volume was 4.6 cm(3) (range 0.5-36.6 cm(3)) and the median radiation dose to the tumor margin was 14 Gy (range 8.9-18 Gy). The median follow-up period was 41 months (range 6-183 months). At the last imaging follow-up, tumor volumes decreased in 22 patients (57 %), remained stable in 13 patients (33 %), and increased in 4 patients (10 %). The progression-free survival after SRS was 97 % at 1 year, and 92 % at 5 years. At the last clinical follow-up, 35 patients (90 %) showed no change in symptoms, 1 patient (2 %) showed improvement of their neurologic symptom, and 3 patients (8 %) demonstrated worsening symptoms. The rate of symptom worsening after SRS was 5 % at 1 year, and 10 % at 5 years. Asymptomatic peritumoral edema after SRS occurred in 2 patients (5 %). Symptomatic adverse radiation effect developed in 2 patients (5 %). SRS for tentorial meningiomas provided long-term effective tumor control and a low risk of radiation related complications.