Planning

Although the frame is attached to your head it does not prevent you from functioning normally e.g. lying down on a bed or eating and drinking. If you wear glasses it is unlikely that you will be able to wear them once the frame is fitted. It is safe to wear contacts. It is advised that you wear cool clothing with either a coat or a cardigan for warmth, as removing clothes over your head and frame is difficult.

An MRI scan is required to determine the exact size, shape, and position of the tumour in the brain. An injection of contrast is required to ensure a clear image. If the MRI scan is performed after the frame has been fitted, a coordinate box is placed on the head frame to provide reference points on the images for the treatment plan. After imaging, the coordinate box is removed. If the MRI was done before the frame was fitted, an additional CBCT will be required. An additional CT scan may also be carried out depending on your diagnosis.

During treatment planning a precise personalised plan is produced to treat your specific condition. Using the MRI images, your consultant and medical physicist define the precise three-dimensional target in the brain and work out how the treatment is to be delivered. 

No two treatment plans are alike; every patient's plan is individually designed to address their specific medical condition. The time it takes to produce and treat the optimal treatment plan varies considerably for each patient depending on the area that is being treated. Please be prepared to be at the Gamma Knife Centre most of the day and possibly into the early evening.