Why do we do Radiosurgery?

Lars Leksell discovered radiosurgery in the process of searching for a method to treat functional neurological diseases like pain, movement disorders, and psychosurgery. Making a small lesion in deep structure in the normal brain using a metal probe destroys a length of tissue on the way. He used photon radiation after experimenting with heavy particles and electron beams. 

Starting with functional diseases, SRS is now used for treating large numbers of diseases in the brain, spine, and outside neurological system. After effective use in Sella region tumours in 1972, Dr. Ladislau Steiner published a report of treatment of Arteriovenous malformation using Gamma Knife. Later acoustic schwannoma, meningioma and other benign tumors were added to the list of indications. 

Multiple brain metastases are also an established indication for radiosurgery, especially due to superior control of tumours with less chances of developing late complications of radiation on the normal brain, resulting in cognitive defects after whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT).