Radiosurgery for cavernous malformations: Results of long-term follow-up

The long-term results of radiosurgery for cavernous malformations (CMs) are reported. 152 cases (mean age 37.2 years) of symptomatic CMs have been treated with a gamma knife. The majority of them were located in eloquent areas like the brainstem or basal ganglia, followed by lobar and cerebellar lesions. With the mean maximum and marginal dose of 26.4 and 14.9 Gy respectively, 30% showed a shrinkage and the others were unchanged in the mean follow-up of 55.4 months. The hemorrhage rate after radiosurgery considerably decreased to 3.2%/year/case, which is almost one-tenth of that 5 years before gamma knife treatment (31.8%). In fact, the hemorrhage rate was 8% in the first year, then apparently and subsequently decreased to less than 5% and finally reached 0% in the seventh year. Complications were chiefly related to radiation-induced edema in 11.2%. Because of the significantly decreased rate of hemorrhage and acceptable rate of complications, radiosurgery for CM is apparently useful. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.