Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Intracranial Hemangioblastoma

Lee, Hwa Joong; Cho, Won Ho; Nam, Kyoung Hyup; Choi, Byung Kwan; Cha, Seung Heon; Choi, Chang Hwa

Original article

Journal of the Korean Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery 2013;9(1):15-18.
Published online June 30, 2013.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Intracranial Hemangioblastoma

Hwa Joong Lee, Won Ho Cho, Kyoung Hyup Nam, Byung Kwan Choi, Seung Heon Cha, Chang Hwa Choi

Department of Neurosurgery & Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea

Abstract

Objective
s: Intracranial hemangioblastomas are rare benign vascular tumors of the central nervous system. They are arising either sporadically or associated with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and sporadic hemangioblastomas are more common lesion. Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has been performed as an adjuvant treatment modality. In this study, we evaluate the role of GKRS in the treatment of intracranial hemangioblastomas. Material and Methods: Between February 2004 and August 2009, 9 patients underwent GKRS for intracranial hemangioblastoma in our institute. All of these tumors was located in the posterior fossa, especially occur in cerebellum. GKRS was performed as adjuvant treatment after surgical resection in 6 cases and primary treatment in 3 cases. We reviewed the medical records and radiological images for analyzing or tumor control rate.
Results
The median follow-up period was 37.9 months (range 6-91 months). On follow-up, tumor size were decreased in 5 tumors (55.6%), unchanged in 2 tumors (22.2%), and increased in 2 tumors (22.2%). The local tumor control rate was 77.8% in this study. All patients had not shown any radiosurgery-associated complications.
Conclusion
GKRS is safe and effective treatment modality in the treatment of intracranial hemangioblastomas. GKRS offers high tumor control rate and low risk of adverse effect.

Key Words: Hemangioblastoma, Gamma knife radiosurgery, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, Adjuvant.