The video above, provided by Varian Medical Systems, depicts a typical radiosurgical case targeting a brain tumor. The process of treating a tumor in the spine is very similar, and interested patients and families can get an overall understanding for the process on the day of treatment by watching this video.
Dr. Karahalios uses incisionless radiosurgery to obliterate spine tumors
Due to the frequency in which cancer, especially in the lung, breast and prostate, metastasizes to the spine coupled with the incidence of primary spine tumors, the availability of the most advanced radiosurgical technology is critical to offering patients state-of-the-art treatment. Dr. Dean Karahalios, fellowship-trained spine neurosurgeon at NorthShore University HealthSystem is among the fortunate. Dr. Karahalios’s patients benefit from his exceptional experience and expertise using stereotactic radiosurgery as well as NorthShore University’s commitment to the latest technologies to treat tumors in the spinal cord and column.
Spine radiosurgery is, in many cases, an alternative to invasive surgery. Stereotatic radiosurgery treats spine tumors with a precise delivery of a single, high dose of radiation. Through the use of focused beams of radiation that have been targeted by sophisticated imaging and planning algorithms, the radiation delivered to the targeted spine tumor is lethal, while surrounding tissues and structures remain unharmed.
Many patients are familiar with radiation therapy, which involves smaller doses of radiation delivered over multiple sessions. The single-session radiosurgery treatment, on the other hand, has such a significant effect in the target tumor that the changes are considered “surgical.” That is, the radiation distorts the DNA of the tumor cell, thereby eliminating the cells ability to reproduce and maintain fluids. The tumor reduction occurs at the rate of normal growth for the specific tumor cell. Therefore, tumors that grow quickly will usually experience faster radiation changes than tumors that grow more slowly.
In order to deliver these lethal doses of radiation in a single session, the equipment used by spine specialists such as Dr. Karahalios, needs to be extremely precise and sophisticated. Dr. Karahalios at NorthShore University Health System is in fact utilizing some of the most advanced equipment available for shaping the radiation beam and thereby delivering customized doses of radiation directly to the tumor. By changing the beam shape over time while delivering the radiation, Dr. Karahalios and his team of radiation specialists achieve very fine control over how, and where, the radiation is administered.
Dr. Karahalios uses stereotactic radiosurgery technology to treat spine tumors.
The benefits to patients from the technology used by Dr. Karahalios to treat spine tumors are numerous, but most patient talk about two in particular:
– The procedure is incisionless, which means there is less risk of surgical complications such as infection or reaction to anesthesia.
– The procedure is literally pain-free and patients can return home the same day of treatment and immediately resume their normal activities.
From a patient’s perspective, stereotatic radiosurgery procedures are more comfortable and convenient than traditional spine surgery. The initial step is undergoing a series of imaging studies which are then fed into the planning system of the radiosurgical device. These imaging studies allow Dr. Karahalios and the radiation delivery team to view the spine tumor in three dimensions, helping them define the precise target area and tailor the proper dosage of radiation to be delivered. This is a complex process that can take several hours.
The patient remains awake during the entire procedure and experiences no pain.
During the procedure itself the patient remains awake and can speak to the doctors at any time. The patient lies down on the unit and is positioned comfortably. The NorthShore University HealthSystem radiosurgical treatment facility is very sophisticated. Working with Dr. Karahalios and the radiation team’s expertise and technology, they monitor the patient and the entire procedure in real time. They have the ability to verify the patient’s position and can identify any motion and respond accordingly. This advanced system can even account for a patient’s breathing rate and the movement that breathing causes.
Dr. Karahalios also invites you to read his written blogs and view his video blogs. Many of these updates provide additional information about the use of stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of spine tumors.
Dr. Karahalios also has a video that discusses many of the advantages of the stereotactic radiosurgery program for spinal tumors at NorthShore University HealthSystem. Click here to view the video.
If you have any questions or comments for Dr. Karahalios on stereotactic radiosurgery for spine tumors, please email him at info@DKNeuro.com.