Gamma Knife

Last revised by Andrew Murphy on 23 Mar 2023

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Bell D, Hacking C, Knipe H, et al. Gamma Knife. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 16 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-67451

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-67451

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/67451

rID:

67451

Article created:

6 Apr 2019, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Last revised:

23 Mar 2023, Andrew Murphy ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Andrew Murphy had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Andrew Murphy's current disclosures

Revisions:

8 times, by 4 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Central Nervous System, Oncology

Tags:

refs

Synonyms:

Gamma-knife
Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS)
Gamma Knife Perfexion

Gamma Knife, also known as Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS), is a form of radiosurgery historically employing 201 cobalt-60 sources arranged in a hemispheric array. The latest system, the Gamma Knife Perfexion, uses 192 cobalt-60 sources ¹. The emitted gamma rays are focussed on a target point which is used to treat brain lesions. It employs a standard stereotactic frame to ensure accurate targeting of the emitted beams to a precise location. Gamma Knife systems are solely manufactured by Elekta AB, a Swedish company, that specialises in radiation therapy systems.

History and etymology

Gamma knife was invented by Lars Leksell, a pioneering Swedish neurosurgeon, in collaboration with a radiation biologist, Borje Larsson, and their first system was available in 1951. Lars Leksell and his son, Laurent Leksell, founded Elekta in 1972 to manufacture Gamma Knife systems ².