Stereotactic radiosurgery of arteriovenous malformations.

Stereotaxis has been introduced at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy in Boston, MA, to aid in the precise localization and treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). A Brown-Roberts-Wells stereotactic system and a 6 MV linear accelerator have been modified for these treatments. By using multiple isocentric rotational fields, radiation doses from 1500 to 2500 cGy can be safely prescribed to the AVM in efforts to occlude the blood vessels without risking damage to nearby radiosensitive structures. Sixteen patients have been treated from February 1986 to July 1988 using the technique described.