Factors related to complete occlusion of arteriovenous malformations after gamma knife radiosurgery.

Chang JH, Chang JW, Park YG, Chung SS.   J Neurosurg 2000 Dec;93 Suppl 3:96-101

Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

OBJECT: The authors sought to evaluate the effects of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) on cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and the factors associated with complete occlusion. METHODS: A total of 301 radiosurgical procedures for 277 cerebral AVMs were performed between December 1988 and December 1999. Two hundred seventy-eight lesions in 254 patients who were treated with GKS from May 1992 to December 1999 were analyzed. Several clinical and radiological parameters were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The total obliteration rate for the cases with an adequate radiological follow up of more than 2 years was 78.9%. In multivariate analysis, maximum diameter, angiographically delineated shape of the AVM nidus, and the number of draining veins significantly influenced the result of radiosurgery. In addition, margin radiation dose, Spetzler-Martin grade, and the flow pattern of the AVM nidus also had some influence on the outcome. In addition to the size, topography, and radiosurgical parameters of AVMs, it would seem to be necessary to consider the angioarchitectural and hemodynamic aspects to select proper candidates for radiosurgery.

Radiation necrosis following gamma knife surgery: a case-controlled comparison of treatment parameters and long-term clinical follow up.

Chin LS, Ma L, DiBiase S.    J Neurosurg 2001 Jun;94(6):899-904

Department of Neurosurgery and Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA. lchin@smail.umaryland.edu

OBJECT: Radiation necrosis is the only significant complication of gamma knife surgery (GKS). The authors studied treatment plan parameters in patients who had radiation necrosis to determine if risk factors for necrosis could be identified. METHODS: Between September 1994 and December 1998, 286 patients were treated with GKS by the senior author. Of the 243 patients who were suitable for analysis, 17 developed radiation necrosis and were prospectively followed. Concurrently, 17 patients without necrosis were randomly selected as case controls on the basis of histological findings in their lesions. Integral dose-volume histograms (DVHs) were calculated and dose-volume treatment parameters were determined. A comparison was made with both the established Kjellberg and Flickinger isonecrosis risk lines. Clinical outcome was assessed according to time to resolution of symptoms and return to normal radiographic appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment plan variables associated with the risk of necrosis were increased tumor volume (TV) integral dose, increased TV, and increased 10-Gy volume. Other risk factors included repeated radiosurgery to the same lesion and glioma histological findings. The Kjellberg 1% risk line predicted a 5% risk of radiation necrosis and the Flickinger 3% risk line predicted a 3% risk. The median time to development of necrosis was 4 months, and symptomatic and radiographic recovery times were 7.5 and 10.5 months, respectively. The median survival time in patients with necrosis was 30 months. The authors recommend prospective TV determination and DVH calculation for all radiosurgical treatments and the avoidance of repeated radiosurgical treatments to the same lesion when possible.

A multi-institutional analysis of complication outcomes after arteriovenous malformation radiosurgery.

Flickinger JC, Kondziolka D, Lunsford LD, Pollock BE, Yamamoto M, Gorman DA, Schomberg PJ, Sneed P, Larson D, Smith V, McDermott MW, Miyawaki L, Chilton J, Morantz RA, Young B, Jokura H, Liscak R.

University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.  Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1999 Apr 1;44(1):67-74

PURPOSE: To better understand radiation complications of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) radiosurgery and factors affecting their resolution. METHODS AND MATERIALS: AVM patients (102/1255) who developed neurological sequelae after radiosurgery were studied. The median AVM marginal dose (Dmin) was 19 Gy (range: 10-35). The median volume was 5.7 cc (range: 0.26-143). Median follow-up was 34 months (range: 9-140). RESULTS: Complications consisted of 80/102 patients with evidence of radiation injury to the brain parenchyma (7 also with cranial nerve deficits, 12 also with seizures, 5 with cyst formation), 12/102 patients with isolated cranial neuropathies, and 10/102 patients with only new or worsened seizures. Severity was classified as minimal in 39 patients, mild in 40, disabling in 21, and fatal in 2 patients. Symptoms resolved completely in 42 patients for an actuarial resolution rate of 54% +/- 7% at 3 years post-onset. Multivariate analysis identified significantly greater symptom resolution in patients with no prior history of hemorrhage (p = 0.01, 66% vs. 41%), and in patients with symptoms of minimal severity: headache or seizure as the only sequelae of radiosurgery (p < 0.0001, 88% vs. 34%). CONCLUSION: Late sequelae of radiosurgery manifest in varied ways. Further long-term studies of these problems are needed that take into account symptom severity and prior hemorrhage history.

Combined embolization and gamma knife radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Guo WY, Wikholm G, Karlsson B, Lindquist C, Svendsen P, Ericson K.  Acta Radiol 1993 Nov;34(6):600-6

Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

In a study of 46 patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) the value of combining embolization and gamma knife radiosurgery was assessed. In 35 patients with large grade III to V AVMs (Spetzler-Martin system) staged combined treatment was planned. In 11 patients, radiosurgery complemented embolization for a residual AVM. The number of embolization sessions ranged from 1 to 7 (median 2). Twenty-six patients needed multiple embolization sessions. In 28 patients the grade of AVMs decreased as a result of embolization. In 16 patients collateral feeding vessels developed after embolization which made delineation of the residual nidus difficult. The time lag between the last embolization and radiosurgery ranged from 1 to 24 months (median 4). Nineteen of 35 large grade III to V AVMs were possible to treat by radiosurgery following embolization. In the 46 patients complications occurred in 9 from embolization and in 2 from radiosurgery. Two patients had transient and 9 had permanent neurologic deficits. It is concluded that embolization facilitates radiosurgery for some large AVMs and therefore this combined treatment has a role in the management of AVMs.

Gamma knife surgery for previously irradiated arteriovenous malformations.

Karlsson B, Kihlstrom L, Lindquist C, Steiner L.   Neurosurgery 1998 Jan;42(1):1-5; 

Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to report the treatment results after a second gamma knife treatment and to compare them with the results obtained after a first gamma knife treatment, as well as to investigate whether the models to predict the results after a first treatment are also applicable after gamma knife treatment of previously irradiated arteriovenous malformations. METHODS: The number of complications and the posttreatment hemorrhage rate were recorded for 112 patients in the study, and the number of obliterations was recorded for the 101 patients for whom conclusive angiograms were obtained. The results were compared with the expected results after a first gamma knife treatment. RESULTS: The observed number of obliterations was 62, which is not significantly different from the predicted number of 65. There were 14 observed and 5 predicted complications. When the risk from the preceding radiation treatment was added, the observed number of complications was similar to the predicted number. Six hemorrhages were observed after the second treatment. Of the 5 patients with unchanged arteriovenous malformation size after both the first and second treatments, 2 experienced hemorrhages after the second treatment, compared with none among the 81 patients for whom the malformation was obliterated or significantly decreased in size after the second treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The obliteration rate after gamma knife surgery for previously irradiated arteriovenous malformations is similar to that after primary gamma knife treatment. The complication rate increases with the amount of radiation previously given. The incidence of posttreatment hemorrhages is lower in the latency period if the malformation is affected by the radiation.

Results of radiosurgery for brain stem arteriovenous malformations.

Kurita H, Kawamoto S, Sasaki T, Shin M, Tago M, Terahara A, Ueki K, Kirino T.   J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000 May;68(5):563-70

Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the treatment results of radiosurgery for brain stem arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and to seek optimal dose and treatment volume prescription for these lesions. METHODS: The clinical and radiological data of 30 consecutive patients with brain stem AVM treated with gamma knife radiosurgery were retrospectively reviewed with a mean follow up period of 52.2 months. There were 26 patients with previous haemorrhages and 21 with neurological deficit. Seventeen AVMs were located in the midbrain, 11 in the pons, and two in the medulla oblongata. All of the lesions were small with the intra-axial component occupying less than one third of the area of brain stem parenchyma on axial section of multiplanar MRI or CT. The mean diameter of the nidus was 1.26 cm, and the nidus volume within the brain stem parenchyma ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 cm(3). The mean radiation dose to the AVM margin was 18.4 Gy. RESULTS: The actuarial 3 year obliteration rate was 52.2%; 69.4% in cases treated with standard doses (minimum target dose, 18-20Gy), and 14.3% in cases treated with low doses (<18 Gy) (p<0.05). Two patients sustained symptomatic radiation injury, but there was no permanent neurological deficit caused by radiosurgery. Five patients had haemorrhage from the AVM after irradiation, including four fatal cases, resulting in a 4.0% annual rate of post-treatment bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Radiosurgery is a viable treatment modality for patients with small deep parenchymal brain stem AVMs. A standard radiosurgical dose is safe and effective when directed to a small treatment volume. However, latent interval haemorrhage remains a significant problem until the nidus is obliterated completely.

Analysis of the causes of treatment failure in gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial arteriovenous malformations.

Kwon Y, Jeon SR, Kim JH, Lee JK, Ra DS, Lee DJ, Kwun BD.   J Neurosurg 2000 Dec;93 Suppl 3:104-6

Department of Neurological Surgery, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, South Korea. ykwon@www.amc.seoul.kr

OBJECT: The authors sought to analyze causes for treatment failure following gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), in cases in which the nidus could still be observed on angiography 3 years postsurgery. METHODS: Four hundred fifteen patients with AVMs were treated with GKS between April 1990 and March 2000. The mean margin dose was 23.6 Gy (range 10-25 Gy), and the mean nidus volume was 5.3 cm3 (range 0.4-41.7 cm3). The KULA treatment planning system and conventional subtraction angiography were used in treatment planning. One hundred twenty-three of these 415 patients underwent follow-up angiography after GKS. After 3 years the nidus was totally obliterated in 98 patients (80%) and partial obliteration was noted in the remaining 25. There were several reasons why complete obliteration was not achieved in all cases: inadequate nidus definition in four patients, changes in the size and location of the nidus in five patients due to recanalization after embolization or reexpansion after hematoma reabsorption, a large AVM volume in five patients, a suboptimal radiation dose to the thalamic and basal ganglia in eight patients, and radioresistance in three patients with an intranidal fistula. CONCLUSIONS: The causes of failed GKS for treatment of AVMs seen on 3-year follow-up angiograms include inadequate nidus definition, large nidus volume, suboptimal radiation dose, recanalization/reexpansion, and radioresistance associated with an intranidal fistula

Radiosurgery for childhood intracranial arteriovenous malformations.

Levy EI, Niranjan A, Thompson TP, Scarrow AM, Kondziolka D, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD.   Neurosurgery 2000 Oct;47(4):834-41;
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal management of intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in children remains controversial. Children with intracranial AVMs present a special challenge in therapeutic decision-making because of the early recognition of their future life-long risks of hemorrhage if they are treated conservatively. The goals of radiosurgery are to achieve complete AVM obliteration and to preserve neurological function. We present long-term outcomes for a series of children treated using radiosurgery. METHODS: The findings for 53 consecutive children who underwent at least 36 months of imaging follow-up monitoring after radiosurgery were reviewed. The median age at the time of treatment was 12 years (range, 2-17 yr). Thirty-one children (58%) presented after their first intracranial hemorrhaging episodes, two (4%) after their second hemorrhaging episodes, and one (2%) after five hemorrhaging episodes. Nineteen children (36%) presented with unruptured AVMs, and a total of 25 children (47%) exhibited neurological deficits. AVMs were graded as Spetzler-Martin Grade I (2%), Grade II (23%), Grade III (36%), Grade IV (9%), or Grade VI (30%). The median AVM volume was 1.7 ml (range, 0.11-10.2 ml). The median marginal dose was 20 Gy (range, 15-25 Gy). RESULTS: Results were stratified according to AVM volumes (Group 1, < or =3 ml; Group 2, >3 ml to < or =10 ml; Group 3, >10 ml). Twenty-eight patients (80%) in Group 1 and 11 (64.7%) in Group 2 achieved complete obliteration. The only patient in Group 3 did not achieve obliteration. Complications included brainstem edema (n = 1) and transient pulmonary edema (n = 1). Four patients experienced hemorrhaging episodes, 30, 40, 84, and 96 months after radiosurgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that only volume was significantly correlated with obliteration rates (P = 0.0109). CONCLUSION: Radiosurgery is safe and efficacious for selected children with AVMs. The obliteration rates and the attendant low morbidity rates suggest a primary role for stereotactic radiosurgery for pediatric AVMs.

Repeated radiosurgery for incompletely obliterated arteriovenous malformations.

Maesawa S, Flickinger JC, Kondziolka D, Lunsford LD.    J Neurosurg 2000 Jun;92(6):961-70

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA.

OBJECT: The goal of this study was to define treatment results of repeated arteriovenous malformation (AVM) radiosurgery, namely AVM obliteration and complications. METHODS: The authors analyzed their experience with repeated AVM radiosurgery performed in 41 patients for whom follow-up review lasted at least 2 years. The median duration of follow up was 34 months (range 7-65 months) after repeated radiosurgery in this group. The residual nidus was located within the area of focus (in field) of the initial radiosurgery in 28 patients (68%). Initial doses to the margin varied from 12.5 to 20 Gy (median 18 Gy). During repeated treatment the dose to the margin varied from 12.5 to 20 Gy (median 17 Gy) and the retreated volumes ranged from 0.4 to 7 cm3 (median 2.1 cm3). Follow-up angiography performed at least 2 years postradiosurgery revealed complete AVM obliteration in 21 (70%) of 30 patients. The estimated overall 2-year obliteration rate, based on findings on magnetic resonance imaging (eight of 11 obliterated) and angiography (29 of 41 obliterated) was 71%. Obliteration rates correlated with margin doses (p = 0.0045) with a trend toward higher rates in cases with in-field nidus persistence (p = 0.0637). The dose-response curve for AVM nidus obliteration was not significantly different from that of the initial radiosurgery. In two patients (5%) intracranial AVM hemorrhage developed within 125.9 risk years after repeated radiosurgery (1.6% per patient year). Persistent symptomatic adverse radiation effects developed in two (5%) of 41 patients following repeated radiosurgery. Postradiosurgical imaging changes were identified in 11 (27%) of 41 patients, which correlated with a 12-Gy volume from repeated surgery (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: When necessary, repeated AVM radiosurgery achieves obliteration with an acceptable risk. Despite the effects of previous irradiation, repeated radiosurgery required similar or slightly higher radiation doses to achieve the same in-field obliteration rates as those needed to obliterate an AVM that had not been treated by radiation previously.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for brainstem arteriovenous malformations: preliminary results.

Massager N, Regis J, Kondziolka D, Njee T, Levivier M.   J Neurosurg 2000 Dec;93 Suppl 3:102-3

Gamma Knife Center, H pital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium. nmassage@ulb.ac.be

OBJECT: This study was undertaken to assess the efficacy and safety of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) located within the brainstem. METHODS: The results of GKS performed in 87 patients with brainstem AVMs at two centers with experienced physicians are reviewed. The mean patient age was 37 years and the population included 19 children. The male/female ratio was 56:31. The malformation was located in the upper brainstem in 52 patients. Seventy-four percent of the patients had suffered a hemorrhage before GKS. For 70% of the patients no other treatment had been proposed before GKS. The mean AVM volume was 1.3 cm3. The lesions were treated with one to eight isocenters, with a margin dose ranging between 11.5 Gy and 30 Gy. The mean clinical follow-up period was 3.2 years. Ninety-five percent of the patients improved or remained neurologically stable. Rebleeding occurred in three patients at 3, 6, and 16 months, respectively, after GKS. Two patients in whom rebleeding occured recovered, and one died. The AVM obliteration rate was 63% at 2 years and 73% at 3 years after GKS. A second GKS was performed in six patients in whom only partial obliteration was demonstrated on angiography 3 years after the first procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma knife radiosurgery may be a valuable first-choice therapy for the treatment of AVMs located within the brainstem.

Gamma knife radiosurgery as a single treatment modality for large cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Pan DH, Guo WY, Chung WY, Shiau CY, Chang YC, Wang LW.   J Neurosurg 2000 Dec;93 Suppl 3:113-9

Division of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China. hcpan@vghtpe.gov.tw

OBJECT: A consecutive series of 240 patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) treated by gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) between March 1993 and March 1999 was evaluated to assess the efficacy and safety of radiosurgery for cerebral AVMs larger than 10 cm3 in volume. METHODS: Seventy-six patients (32%) had AVM nidus volumes of more than 10 cm3. During radiosurgery, targeting and delineation of AVM nidi were based on integrated stereotactic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and x-ray angiography. The radiation treatment was performed using multiple small isocenters to improve conformity of the treatment volume. The mean dose inside the nidus was kept between 20 Gy and 24 Gy. The margin dose ranged between 15 to 18 Gy placed at the 55 to 60% isodose centers. Follow up ranged from 12 to 73 months. There was complete obliteration in 24 patients with an AVM volume of more than 10 cm3 and in 91 patients with an AVM volume of less than 10 cm3. The latency for complete obliteration in larger-volume AVMs was significantly longer. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the complete obliteration rate in 40 months was 77% in AVMs with volumes between 10 to 15 cm3, as compared with 25% for AVMs with a volume of more than 15 cm3. In the latter, the obliteration rate had increased to 58% at 50 months. The follow-up MR images revealed that large-volume AVMs had higher incidences of postradiosurgical edema, petechiae, and hemorrhage. The bleeding rate before cure was 9.2% (seven of 76) for AVMs with a volume exceeding 10 cm3, and 1.8% (three of 164) for AVMs with a volume less than 10 cm3. Although focal edema was more frequently found in large AVMs, most of the cases were reversible. Permanent neurological complications were found in 3.9% (three of 76) of the patients with an AVM volume of more than 10 cm3, 3.8% (three of 80) of those with AVM volume of 3 to 10 cm3, and 2.4% (two of 84) of those with an AVM volume less than 3 cm3. These differences in complications rate were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Recent improvement of radiosurgery in conjunction with stereotactic MR targeting and multiplanar dose planning has permitted the treatment of larger AVMs. It is suggested that gamma knife radiosurgery is effective for treating AVMs as large as 30 cm3 in volume with an acceptable risk.

Factors associated with successful arteriovenous malformation radiosurgery.

Pollock BE, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD, Maitz A, Kondziolka D. Neurosurgery 1998 Jun;42(6):1239-44; discussion 1244-7
Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical and angiographic variables that affect the results of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) radiosurgery and to propose a new method of reporting patient outcomes after AVM radiosurgery. This method incorporates both the obliteration status of the AVMs and the postoperative neurological condition of the patient. METHODS: Patient outcomes were defined as excellent (nidus obliteration and no new deficits), good (nidus obliteration with a new minor deficit), fair (nidus obliteration with a new major deficit), unchanged (incomplete nidus obliteration without a new deficit), poor (incomplete nidus obliteration with any new deficit), and dead. Two hundred twenty patients who underwent AVM radiosurgery at our center before 1992 were subjected to a multivariate analysis with patient outcomes as the dependent variable. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis determined four factors associated with successful AVM radiosurgery: smaller AVM volume (P=0.003), number of draining veins (P=0.001), younger patient age (P=0.0003), and hemispheric AVM location (P=0.002). Preradiosurgical embolization was a negative predictor of successful AVM radiosurgery (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: AVM obliteration without new neurological deficits can be achieved in at least 80% of patients with small volume, hemispheric AVMs after single-session AVM radiosurgery. Future studies on AVM radiosurgery should report patient outcomes in a fashion that incorporates all the factors involved in successful AVM radiosurgery

Gamma knife outcome models as a reference standard in the embolisation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.   Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2001 Aug;143(8):801-10

Soderman M, Rodesch G, Karlsson B, Lax I, Lasjaunias P.

Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska Hospital, Sweden.

BACKGROUND: We sought to utilise outcome models from Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) to cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) as a reference standard in assessing the clinical outcome of embolisation, thus comparing the outcomes of two different management alternatives, in the same patients. METHODS: 87 consecutive patients with 88 AVM were admitted during 1997-1999 for initial embolisation of an AVM. The clinical outcomes were recorded prospectively. Angiography under stereotactic conditions with measurement of AVM volume was performed before and after embolisation. GKRS outcome models were used to predict obliteration rate, complication rate and risk of haemorrhage before and after embolisation. The clinical outcome of embolisation followed by predicted outcome of adjunct GKRS was then compared with the predicted outcome of GKRS as the only treatment. FINDINGS: Eight patients were subjected to microcatheterisation but not to embolisation. By the end of the study period, embolisation had been terminated in 55 patients out of 80 (69%). The predicted outcome of GKRS alone was 58 obliterations and 12 complications while that of the combined management was 58 obliterations and 15 complications. The difference was not significant on the p < 0.1 level. INTERPRETATION: Volume measurement from angiography and outcome models from Gamma Knife radiosurgery are useful as a reference standard in the management of AVM. Absolute volume reduction from embolisation is most prominent for AVM > 10 ml and thus facilitates subsequent radiosurgery. For AVM < or = 10 ml, GKRS as the only treatment can be an alternative to primary embolisation, particularly if no significant volume reduction or obviously beneficial effect of targeted embolisation is expected. Further prospective studies are needed to identify subgroups in which one treatment has advantages over the other.

Clinical outcome of radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Steiner L, Lindquist C, Adler JR, Torner JC, Alves W, Steiner M.  J Neurosurg 1992 Jul;77(1):1-8

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

The clinical outcomes are described for 247 consecutive cases of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) treated with the gamma knife between April, 1970, and December 31, 1983. Headache resolved in 65 (66.3%) of the 98 patients presenting with this symptom and improved in an additional nine (9.2%). Of 59 patients admitted with seizures, 11 (18.6%) became seizure-free without anticonvulsant medication and an additional 30 patients (50.8%) became seizure-free with anticonvulsant medication. Pre-existing neurological deficits improved or totally disappeared following radiosurgery in 56.7% of affected cases. This improvement presumably occurred within the frame of the natural history. The protective effect of the ionizing beams against hemorrhage in incompletely obliterated AVM's is analyzed. To assess the rate of rebleeding, probability estimates were calculated using both the person-year method and the Kaplan-Meier life table. With the person-year method the actual rebleed rate is not too different from the values observed in the natural history of the disease (2% to 3%/yr). Analysis by Kaplan-Meier life-table estimates demonstrated a risk of nearly 3.7%/yr until 60 months after radiosurgery. Five years following treatment, the life table ends in a plateau which could be interpreted as an indication of decrease in the risk of hemorrhage. However, long flat regions at the right end of the life table do not imply that the real risk of rebleeding is negligible unless a large number of patients have been followed well into or beyond the flat region.

The role of Gamma Knife radiosurgery in arteriovenous malformation with aneurysms.

Vymazal J, Liscak R, Novotny J Jr, Janouskova L, Vladyka V.   Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 1999;72 Suppl 1:175-84

Department of Stereotactic and Radiation Neurosurgery and Department of Radiology, Hospital Na Homolce, Prague, Czech Republic. vymazal@mbox.cesnet.cz

A review of 217 patients treated with Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS), at Hospital Na Homolce, Prague, between October 1992 and January 1998 for arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is presented. Forty-one patients (18.9%) with an AVM and associated aneurysm are the subjects of special interest for this study. The nidus volume in the presence of an aneurysm lying close to the nidus or within it was significantly larger than the nidus volume in cases where the AVMs had no associated aneurysm, suggesting that an increased flow in a larger AVM may be an important factor for aneurysm formation. The association of an arterial aneurysm with an AVM significantly increased the chance of hemorrhage when compared to the group with AVM and no aneurysm. Ten patients out of 14, who had an aneurysm close to or within the nidus, showed a complete obliteration of their AVM and aneurysm, although the latter was not always included within the irradiated volume. Thus, this study indicates that radiosurgery alone could be the method of choice for the treatment of a combination of AVM and aneurysm, if the aneurysm is close to or within the nidus.