Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) describes a method of delivering a high dose of radiation to a specific location in the brain, often in a single session. SRS employs special techniques to accurately map the brain and the radiation target. This enables the radiation to be administered with extreme accuracy at a very high dose through multiple overlapping beams. The result is a high dose of radiation delivered to the target with a low radiation exposure to the surrounding brain outside the target. The target may be a vascular malformation or a brain tumor. Ideally the target is smaller than three centimeters in diameter.
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is used to treat a variety of disorders affecting the brain. Is may be used to treat vascular malformations as well as a variety of primary and metastatic brain tumors. Ideally the radiation target is smaller that three centimeters and is not too close to certain structures that are extremely sensitive to radiation, such as the lower brain stem or spinal cord and optic nerves.
