Health pioneers

Stereotactic radiation therapy (radiosurgery)

Radiosurgery or stereotactic radiation therapy is often applied in neurosurgery. This technique allows to treat smaller tumours, abnormalities in the blood vessels or metastases without having to remove the skull during surgery. Radio surgery is a once-only high-precision treatment during which a very high dose targets with extreme precision the tumour or blood vessel abnormality without damaging surrounding tissue.

Pioneers in Belgium

Together, the radiotherapy (led by Dr. Verbeke) and neurosurgery team of the OLV Hospital in Aalst have more than 30 years of experience in radiosurgery. This turns them into pioneers in Belgium in this area of expertise. Radiosurgery is teamwork and is executed as a team by experienced specialists including your neurosurgeon, a radiotherapist, physicist and neurological radiologist.

As the OLV Hospital continuously innovates and invests in new techniques and high-tech equipment, the stereotactic radiation therapy in the OLV Hospital is no longer performed using an irritating frame that is placed on the patient's head. Instead of this, we use a custom-made mask, which is much more comfortable for the patient. The radiation therapy is executed with a linear accelerator, the Novalis Tx device.

More information? Visit the Novalis website (in English).

For which disorders?

Stereotactic radiation is a suited treatment for small brain metastases, acoustic neuromas (smaller brain nerve tumours) and arteriovenous malformations (AVM). Except for AVM, stereotactic radiation is carried out on an outpatient basis. An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a malformation, a tangle of blood vessels consisting of arteries and veins in the brain. Such AVM arises in a very early stage of pregnancy (second to third week). So, it has been present all the time and may remain unnoticed throughout your life or lead to a brain haemorrhage.