[Stereotactic radiosurgery of intracranial meningiomas]

Stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial meningiomas was attempted using a 201-source cobalt gamma knife. Forty patients bearing 42 tumors were involved in this study. Their ages ranged from 30 to 91 years, with an average of 55.1 years. The most frequent sites of origin were the parasellar and petroclival regions. The mean tumor diameter was 27.2mm and the marginal tumor dose of radiosurgery ranged from 10 to 20Gy, depending on tumor location and size. Serial imaging studies with MRI were obtained in all 40 cases, in which minor tumor shrinkage was demonstrated in 7.9%, 40.0% and 53.3% at 6, 12 and 18 months after radiosurgery respectively. Only two tumors became enlarged after the treatment. Obvious low signal intensity on MRI, indicating central tumor necrosis, was found in 32% at 12 months and 40% at 18 months. Four large tumors over 40mm in mean diameter were treated by staged radiosurgery with intervals of 1.5 to 7 months. A similar good response was able to be obtained in all 4 cases, even though they were treated with a marginal dose less than 12Gy. Symptomatic edema occurred in 5 cases (12.5%) within 12 months and required corticosteroid therapy and hyperosmotic diuresis. In conclusion stereotactic radiosurgery has proved to be an effective and relatively safe method for the treatment of intracranial meningiomas.