Vestibular schwannoma before (left) and 10 years after (right) radiosurgery. Only a small scar remains.

The UF radiosurgery team currently includes neurosurgeons Dr.William Friedman, Dr. Kelly Foote, radiation physicist Dr. Frank Bova and radiation oncologists William Mendenhall and Robert Amdur. The team also includes a biomedical engineer, computer programmer (Russell Moore), and a dedicated patient secretary (Fran Anderson), as well as doctoral students, residents and medical students performing research projects.

In 1985, the UF team implemented radiosurgical capability at the Shands at UF. After reviewing the technology available for radiosurgery planning and radiosurgery treatment, the UF team began developing a new approach to radiosurgery using the linear accelerator as the source of radiation. A new mechanical system to improve accurate delivery of radiosurgery treatment was created, as well as the first true dedicated computer dosimetry program dedicated to radiosurgery optimization.

The University of Florida subsequently patented this new approach to radiosurgery planning and radiosurgery delivery, which has become one of the most popular commercial radiosurgery systems worldwide, known as the Linac Scalpel™. This system is now marketed by Varian Systems.

UF Radiosurgery Patient Tracking

The UF Radiosurgery team has developed a customized computer database which enables them to carefully track each of the more than 2,000 patients treated clinically with radiosurgery at the Shands at UF.

A full-time database coordinator insures that appropriate follow-up information is available on each radiosurgery patient. This database has facilitated the continuous improvement of radiosurgical treatment at UF and has served as the substrate for more than 100 published articles, chapters, and books on stereotactic radiosurgery.

UF Continuous improvement in the Radiosurgery Process

Recent research projects include the following:

1. the implementation of a micromultileaf collimator device for producing non-circular beam shapes in stereotactic radiotherapy
2. the development of new tools for automatic multiple isocenter radiosurgery.
3. the development of a standardized "index" for judging the quality of radiosurgery plans.
4. the development of systems for using radiosurgical technology to treat extracranial tumors (i.e. spine, liver, prostate).
5. the development of a highly conformal intensity modulated radiosurgery.

Learn more about radiosurgery on Shands' Multimedia Health Encyclopedia.

Radiosurgery Patient Selection

Candidates for radiosurgery include patients with arteriovenous malformations, acoustic schwannomas, meningiomas, pituitary tumors, metastatic tumors, gliomas, and other brain lesions. This one-time outpatient radiosurgery treatment is often an excellent alternative to complex surgical procedures requiring lengthy hospitalization.

Information

For more information or to schedule a new patient appointment, please call 352-273-9000 or visit the UF Department of Neurosurgery.

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To make a new patient appointment or find out more information about neurosurgery services offered at Shands at the University of Florida, please call 352-273-9000.