Here’s a look at who invented Gamma Knife technology and how it was introduced to hospitals worldwide to treat brain tumours and other neurological conditions.
Gamma Knife surgery is an innovative type of stereotactic radiosurgery, which uses gamma rays to treat certain types of brain tumours and other neurological conditions. It can be used as an alternative to risky and invasive open surgery using a scalpel, or to remove pieces of tumour that couldn’t be removed with traditional surgery.
This advanced technology has saved, improved or extended the lives of many people who are living with brain conditions.
Here’s a look at who invented the Gamma Knife technique and how it was introduced to hospitals around the world, including our Centres of Excellence at Queen Square in London and Thornbury in Sheffield.
The story begins in Sweden in the 1950s, when Professor Borje Larsson (a physicist) of the Gustaf Werner Institute, University of Uppsala, and Professor Lars Leksell (a neurosurgeon) at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm began to investigate ways to treat brain disorders without the risky process of opening up the skull.
The first attempt involved combining proton beams with stereotactic devices to target areas in the brain. The approach proved to be unworkable, but it led to the development of the first prototype Gamma Knife device in 1967. It was not used to treat brain tumours, but patients with pain or movement disorders.
The concept of the device was to use cobalt-60 as an energy source to produce multiple beams of gamma radiation, which were directed at a target in the brain from various angles. By itself, each beam was too weak to cause any harm to the brain cells, but when they converged, the combined energy was enough to destroy abnormal tissue.
The effect was to block the abnormal nerve impulses that caused symptoms such as tremor or pain. Professor Leksell realised the potential of the technique for treating brain tumours, and he went on to develop a second version of the machine to do this in 1975. The first unit was installed at the Karolinska institute, and was successfully used to treat brain tumours.
During the 1980s, further Gamma Knife units went on to be installed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Sheffield, England, at The National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery. The technique was pioneering due to being minimally invasive, extremely precise, and safer than conventional surgical techniques.
Gamma Knife was used to treat brain conditions that were considered too difficult or risky to access surgically. These included arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), which are tangled blood vessels that can disrupt the flow of oxygen to the brain tissues. Sometimes AVMs do not cause symptoms, but there is a risk of haemorrhage.
AVMs can also cause a range of symptoms including headaches, nausea and vomiting, seizures, vision problems, cognitive difficulties and muscle weakness. Gamma Knife was also used to treat trigeminal neuralgia, a debilitating facial pain disorder, and benign brain tumours such as acoustic neuromas.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the technology of Gamma Knife continued to evolve, alongside the conditions it could treat. A US neurosurgeon named Dr. L. Dade Lunsford was an early adopter of the device, and he headed up the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which became a leader in Gamma Knife research and training.
Advancements in magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scan technology led to the development of more sophisticated and accurate treatments, resulting in greater levels of efficacy and safety. The type of conditions it can treat also expanded to include metastatic brain tumours, pituitary tumours and some types of paediatric cases.
The 2000s brought further developments, including new models of Gamma Knife machines that could treat multiple brain lesions in a single session. Some models were introduced that operated with frameless systems, replacing the metal head frame with a custom-fitted mask. Most patients could be treated as outpatients and return home on the same day.
Today, Gamma Knife treatment is safer, more accurate and more effective than ever, and continues to evolve. AI technology and robotics are being integrated into the treatment planning and operative stage, for a more personalised approach that is backed by sophisticated data analysis and advanced imaging analysis.
If you would like to find out more information about Gamma Knife surgery, please get in touch with our team today.
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