Patient Safety And Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: Our Commitment

Patient Safety And Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: Our Commitment

The World Health Organisation marks World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2025. The theme for this year is “Patient safety from the start!”, and the day aims to bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers and patients to raise awareness and reduce preventable harm in healthcare.

At Amethyst Radiotherapy, we’d like to take this opportunity to highlight our commitment to precise, safe and tailored treatments for every one of our patients. We specialise in Gamma Knife radiosurgery at our Centres of Excellence in London and Sheffield, which offers a non-invasive alternative to open surgery.

For people living with neurological conditions such as brain tumours, arteriovenous malformations, or trigeminal neuralgia, Gamma Knife may be recommended as the most suitable treatment option. Here’s a look at how our treatment planning, imaging, and delivery all prioritise patient safety.

Sub-milimetre accuracy to minimise risk

Unlike traditional surgery, Gamma Knife radiosurgery does not involve incisions. Instead, it uses multiple beams of highly focused radiation to target a precise area of the brain. Because each individual beam is weak, surrounding healthy tissue receives minimal exposure while the targeted lesion is treated effectively.

This level of accuracy is only possible thanks to:

• Advanced imaging (MRI and CT scans) that map the brain in three dimensions.
• Specialised treatment planning software that calculates the safest and most effective radiation dose.
• Team-based verification by a multidisciplinary teamof neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical physicists to cross-check every stage.

By integrating technology with human oversight, safety is built into the treatment itself.

The patient journey: safety at every step

Careful assessment

Patient safety begins before treatment is ever considered. Our multidisciplinary team evaluates whether Gamma Knife radiosurgery is the right option for each individual. If another therapy would be safer or more effective, we guide patients accordingly.

Imaging and planning

If Gamma Knife is suitable, high-resolution imaging helps define the exact treatment target. This stage is crucial: even a millimetre’s error could affect surrounding healthy brain tissue. Every plan is double-checked by specialists to ensure accuracy.

Treatment day

On the day of treatment, patients are fitted with a stereotactic frame or frameless alternative to keep the head perfectly still. This ensures that the radiation beams converge on precisely the right spot. Safety protocols are followed meticulously, including patient identity verification, treatment plan checks, and equipment calibration.

Post-treatment follow-up

Safety doesn’t end once the treatment is delivered. Patients are monitored afterwards, with follow-up imaging and consultations scheduled to track outcomes and address any side effects.

Learning from broader patient safety principles

Although this year’s World Patient Safety Day theme focuses on newborns and children, the lessons are universal. In both paediatrics and neurosurgery, the same principles apply:

• Individualised care –tailoring treatment to each patient’s unique needs.
• Family and caregiver engagement –keeping loved ones informed and involved in decisions.
• System-wide vigilance – building safety into every stage of care, not just the operating room or treatment suite.

By embracing these principles, Gamma Knife radiosurgery reflects the very ethos of safe care from the start.

Patient safety builds trust

For people facing neurological conditions, the idea of brain surgery, whether open or radiosurgical, can feel daunting. That is why transparency about safety is so important. We believe that when patients and families understand the safeguards in place, they can approach treatment with confidence and peace of mind.

Patient safety from the start

World Patient Safety Day is a reminder that healthcare is not only about the final outcome; it is about protecting patients from harm at every stage. Our comprehensive approach to Gamma Knife radiosurgery demonstrates this principle in action: from careful patient selection and precision imaging to meticulous treatment planning and ongoing follow-up.

By combining advanced technology with rigorous safety systems, we ensure that patients receive care that is not only effective but also safe from the very start.

If you would like to learn more about Gamma Knife surgery at our Centres of Excellence in London or Sheffield, please contact a member of our team today.

Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours