Single-beam radiotherapy knife. A practical theoretical model

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Leksell's Gamma Knife is a specialized device for stereotactic radiosurgery.
• Accurate radiation delivery is crucial for treating brain tumors and other targets.
• Minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissue is a primary goal in radiation oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of modifying a standard linear accelerator for stereotactic radiosurgery.
• To evaluate the potential of a modified linear accelerator to mimic the functionality of Leksell's Gamma Knife.
• To determine the precision and safety of delivering high radiation doses to small target volumes.

Main Methods:

• A standard medical linear accelerator was modified with specific collimation and aiming systems.
• The modified linear accelerator's performance was compared to established stereotactic radiosurgery devices.
• Radiation dose distributions were analyzed to assess target coverage and off-target dose.

Main Results:

• The modified linear accelerator demonstrated the capability to deliver high radiation doses to small target volumes (1-cm or 0.5-cm).
• Radiation effects on surrounding tissues were found to be insignificant, indicating high precision.
• The modified device functioned similarly to Leksell's multiple cobalt radiation device.

Conclusions:

• A standard linear accelerator can be adapted for precise radiosurgery applications.
• This modification offers a potentially more accessible alternative for delivering targeted high-dose radiation.
• The findings support the use of modified linear accelerators in clinical settings for stereotactic radiosurgery.