Your treatment and follow-up
If you are referred to the Gamma Knife Centre of Queensland and chosen as a suitable candidate for treatment, you will be given a date for your treatment day after your outpatient appointment.
Your Gamma Knife treatment will be delivered using either a thermoplastic mask or a headframe. Your doctor will talk to you about what method will be best for your individual case.
When you arrive
Upon arrival, report to the Radiation Oncology reception. A nurse will take you through to the Gamma Knife treatment area where they will:
- verify your personal details
- complete a short checklist
- take your vital signs.
You will also be asked to complete an informed consent form if you have not yet completed one.
Do not wear any make-up, jewellery, hair pieces or hair pins on the day of your treatment. You may be asked to remove your contact lenses, eyeglasses, and dentures before your procedure.
For the majority for patients, the doctor will insert a small needle (cannula) into a vein in your arm. If you are having treatment using a mask this will only occur for the first appointment.
Mask-based Gamma Knife
Treatment requiring a thermoplastic mask is completed over multiple visits. This starts with the first appointment where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed and the mask is made for your face with a cutout for the nose.
Frame-based Gamma Knife
Frame-based Gamma Knife is a single day procedure, which starts with the planning process. You will be fitted with a head frame for Gamma Knife treatment after local anaesthetic is applied. The lightweight frame is attached to your head with four pins. This allows the doctor to accurately pinpoint the target of treatment in your brain. The head frame stays in place for the entire Gamma Knife treatment.
Once the head frame is in the right place, you will have an MRI and computed topography (CT) scan. These scans provide the Gamma Knife team with the information required to develop your unique treatment plan. This process can take 1-2 hours. You can rest in the waiting area, watch a movie, read a book or talk to your guests while you wait.
Treatment
Once your treatment plan is completed, you will be taken into the treatment room and position on your back. The staff will leave the room to administer your treatment from a nearby control room. the treatment room is fitted with cameras so treatment staff can see you the entire time. You can communicate with your radiation therapist team through an audio connection.
Your treatment starts when the couch moves into the circular dome. The treatment is a silent and painless process. You can listen to music during the treatment. The treatment can take anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours or more depending on the size and shape of the treatment target and if it is a mask-based or frame-based treatment.
After treatment
For mask-based Gamma Knife treatment, the mask is removed at the end of each treatment daily. You can continue with your daily activities immediately afterwards.
Patients with head frames will have their head frame removed once treatment is complete. Some people temporarily experience a mild headache, some nausea or mild swelling after the head frame is removed. You will be asked to stay in the Gamma Knife treatment area so the nurse can monitor you for one hour after the removal of the head frame. You can then go home if you have someone to escort you.
Follow-up
We will provide you with the details of your follow-up appointments during your discharge. Your follow-up schedule and any further imaging will depend on the condition that you have been treated for. If you become very unwell or experience side effects that were not explained to you during your education sessions, immediately go to the nearest emergency department.
Addressing common post-treatment concerns
- You will not lose your hair from Gamma Knife treatment.
- The rays used in the treatment do not remain in your body and you will not be radioactive.
- Most patients do not suffer any serious side effects related to treatment.
- If you feel well enough, you can return to your normal routine, including work and travel within a day or so after treatment.
- Any driving restrictions already in place will continue to apply.
- Treatment times can vary and this will be discussed with you on the day. If you are having frame-based treatment, we recommend you keep the day free from other commitments or appointments.