Radiotherapy with Stereotactic Linear Accelerator at Gamma Knife Centre Krefeld

Radiotherapy with the stereotactic linear accelerator at the Gamma Knife Centre Krefeld is a form of stereotactic radiation therapy that combines an advanced linear accelerator with integrated CT imaging to position the patient and target with submillimeter accuracy immediately before and during treatment. The “groundbreaking innovation” of this platform is the precision enabled by the built-in CT: high-resolution images acquired at the machine visualize the tumor and neighboring organs in the actual treatment position, and the irradiation plan is created from these data and can be complemented by other imaging such as high-resolution MRI (which the centre states is available in its facility specifically for stereotactic therapy), and, when relevant, additional datasets such as PET that can be fused into the planning workflow. This modality is applied when stereotactic radiation is indicated for lesions that are too large for classic single-shot intracranial radiosurgery concepts, or when the target lies outside the head and neck region and therefore requires a body-capable stereotactic platform. The centre uses the stereotactic linear accelerator for “very large tumors” and for tumors elsewhere in the body. The system can be used to treat tumors and metastases in the brain as well as extracranial sites such as the prostate, lungs, liver, and spine. The centre specifies the use of a stereotactic linear accelerator for liver metastases, early-stage lung tumors, lung metastases, and spinal tumors and metastases. In practice, this is typically chosen when a sharply conformal, high-dose treatment is needed to control a limited target volume while reducing dose exposure to surrounding organs at risk (for example, lung tissue, liver parenchyma, spinal cord, or nearby bowel), and when the clinical goal is local tumor control without the morbidity of open surgery. The procedural experience is designed to be non-invasive for most patients: after positioning, the automated couch can be moved in multiple directions to align the target with submillimeter precision, and head fixation, when required, is typically non-invasive. Many precisely aimed beams converge millimeter-accurately to create a highly effective dose region in the target while only minimally affecting adjacent healthy tissue. Because of the system’s high power, treatment times can be as short as a few minutes in some cases, highlighting an open, low-noise design intended to make the session more tolerable.