Gamma Knife evolving instrumentation

There have been advances in both the hardware and software used in GKNS. The first major change in hardware had been Gamma Knife PERFEXION which introduced in 2006 had given more space for treatment, and removed the need for helmets, facilitating the treatment of complex conditions. Gamma Knife ICON was commissioned first in 2017. This has two important changes. It is based on the PERFEXION model, but it is constructed to permit frameless treatments. It also has an attached CBCT apparatus which may be used to define the stereotactic space. The Gamma Knife software has also improved in two important respects. The speedy calculations available to modern computer power has enabled improvements in the accuracy of the determination of intracranial radiation absorption between source and target. The other improvement has been the introduction of inverse treatment planning which continues to be under development.