Recommendations for Quality Assurance Guidelines for Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Republic of Korea : A Multi-institutional Survey.

Objective: The Leksell Gamma Knife (LGK) is one of the most precise radiosurgical tools available. However, the quality assurance (QA) practices for LGK vary considerably across institutions in Korea. In this study, we aim to identify and standardize key QA items, categorized into daily, monthly, biannual, and annual protocols, based on a nationwide survey conducted at 16 medical centers.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for optic nerve sheath meningioma: comparison of efficacy and costs with radiotherapy under Korean health insurance system.

Purpose: To survey the real-world effectiveness and cost of optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM) treating with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS), and compare with the external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

Methods: Retrospective, comparative study that included patients with primary ONSM treated with either GKRS or EBRT in Samsung Medical Center, Korea. The treatment response, and treatment costs were compared between GKRS and EBRT groups.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia secondary to benign lesions.

Background: Investigate the clinical outcomes of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in patients with benign intracranial lesions and accompanying trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Methods: From February 2002 to November 2011, 50 patients (11 males, 39 females) underwent GKS for intracranial lesions accompanied by TN. Pathological diagnoses included meningioma in 30 patients, vestibular schwannoma in 11, trigeminal schwannoma in 7, epidermoid cyst in 1, and arteriovenous malformation in 1.

Antiallergic effect of gami-hyunggyeyeongyotang on ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis in mouse and human mast cells.

Background: Gami-hyunggyeyeongyotang (GMHGYGT) is a polyherbal medicine derived from an oriental prescription traditionally used in the treatment of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of GMHGYGT on ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization/challenge-induced AR in BALB/C mice, through examination of allergic inflammatory response regulation, as well as examination of human mast cells (HMC-1).

Methods: Nasal symptoms were evaluated in the OVA-induced allergic rhinitis mouse model, and total immunoglobulin (Ig)E and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum were investigated.

Xanthii Fructus inhibits allergic response in the ovalbumin-sensitized mouse allergic rhinitis model.

Background: Xanthii Fructus (XF) is widely used in traditional anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory Asian medicine. Allergic rhinitis is a common inflammatory disease characterized by markedly increased levels of anti-inflammatory factors and the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the nasal mucosa. We investigated the effects of XF in the allergen-induced rhinitis model.

Effectiveness of Postoperative Gamma Knife Radiosurgery to the Tumor Bed After Resection of Brain Metastases.

Objective: The role of Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) after the resection of brain metastases remains undefined. We evaluated the outcomes of postoperative GKS to the tumor bed after the resection of brain metastasis compared with GKS alone without resection in the same patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 24 patients who underwent GKS to the tumor bed after the resection of brain metastases.

Multisession Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Orbital Apex Tumors.

Objective: This study was performed to analyze the outcome of multisession gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in benign tumors located at the orbital apex.

Methods: Medical records of 23 patients who underwent multisession GKS for benign orbital apex tumors were reviewed retrospectively. Three patients were diagnosed by histology, and the other 20 patients were given the diagnoses on the basis of clinical and radiological findings.

Outcome of gamma knife thalamotomy in patients with an intractable tremor.

Objective: Tremor is a common movement disorder that interferes with daily living. Since the medication for tremor has some limitations, surgical intervention is needed in many patients. In certain patients who cannot undergo aggressive surgical intervention, Gamma Knife thalamotomy (GKT) is a safe and effective alternative.

Fractionated gamma knife radiosurgery for benign perioptic tumors: outcomes of 38 patients in a single institute.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fractionated Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for perioptic lesions.

Methods: Thirty-eight patients with perioptic tumors were treated at our institute from May 2004 to December 2008. All patients had a lesion in close contact with the optic apparatus.

Multisession Gamma Knife surgery for benign orbital tumors.

Object: The goal of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of multisession Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of benign orbital tumors.

Methods: Twenty-three patients who retained their vision despite having tumors touching their optic nerve were treated with multisession (4-fraction) GKS. The median tumor volume was 2800 mm(3) (range 211-10,800 mm(3)), and the median cumulative margin dose was 20 Gy (range 18-22 Gy).

Leptomeningeal seeding in patients with brain metastases treated by gamma knife radiosurgery.

To characterize the development of leptomeningeal seeding (LMS) in patients with brain metastases after gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS). Eight hundred and twenty-seven patients that underwent GKRS as a part of an initial treatment plan for brain metastases between January 2002 and December 2010 were included in the study. Six hundred and fifty patients were treated with GKRS alone and 177 patients received GKRS combined with upfront whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT).

Antiallergic effects of Scutellaria baicalensis on inflammation in vivo and in vitro.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs for the treatment of inflammation. In this study, we investigated the antiallergic effect of SB in vivo and in vitro.

Materials And Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received intradermal injections of anti-DNP IgE at each of three dorsal skin sites.

Trans-differentiation of neural stem cells: a therapeutic mechanism against the radiation induced brain damage.

Radiation therapy is an indispensable therapeutic modality for various brain diseases. Though endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) would provide regenerative potential, many patients nevertheless suffer from radiation-induced brain damage. Accordingly, we tested beneficial effects of exogenous NSC supplementation using in vivo mouse models that received whole brain irradiation.

Differential impact of whole-brain radiotherapy added to radiosurgery for brain metastases.

Purpose: The authors investigated whether the addition of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) provided any therapeutic benefit according to recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class.

Methods And Materials: Two hundred forty-five patients with 1 to 10 metastases who underwent SRS between January 2002 and December 2007 were included in the study. Of those, 168 patients were treated with SRS alone and 77 patients received SRS followed by WBRT.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for ten or more brain metastases.

Objective: This study was performed to assess the efficacy of GKS in patients with ten or more brain metastases.

Methods: From Aug 2002 to Dec 2007, twenty-six patients (13 men and 13 women) with ten or more cerebral metastatic lesions underwent GKS. The mean age was 55 years (32-80).

Preliminary report of multisession gamma knife radiosurgery for benign perioptic lesions: visual outcome in 22 patients.

Objective: Radiosurgery may be contraindicated for lesions adjacent to the optic pathways because of the substantial risk of visual complication. Multisession radiosurgery has been tried as a compromise between single session radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of multisession gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in 22 patients with perioptic lesions of benign pathology.

Retrospective analysis on 76 cases of cerebral arteriovenous malformations treated by gamma knife radiosurgery.

Objective: Outcome of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in the consecutive 100 cases with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) was analyzed.

Methods: Data from initial 100 patients treated with GKS in the authors' institute were reviewed retrospectively. Spetzler-Martin grade at diagnosis were I in 18 patients, II in 27, III in 36, IV in 11, and V in 8.

Stereotactic device for Gamma Knife radiosurgery in experimental animals: technical note.

Objective: Radiosurgery has become a well-established treatment modality for many intracranial lesions and the information obtained from animal experiments is crucial in devising new strategies with improved efficacy and less risk. We constructed a stereotactic device for rats which can be used for both usual laboratory work and radiosurgery using a Gamma Knife.

Materials And Methods: The stereotactic device was made by modifying the basic design of the ordinary stereotactic frames used for usual laboratory work.

Gamma knife surgery for brain metastases in patients harboring four or more lesions: survival and prognostic factors.

Object: This study was performed to evaluate the role of gamma knife surgery (GKS) in patients with a large number (four or more) of metastatic brain lesions.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the outcome in 130 patients who underwent GKS for metastatic lesions. Eighty-four patients presented with one to three lesions (Group A) and 46 presented with four or more lesions (Group B).