The Gamma Knife® Centre of Queensland based at Princess Alexandra Hospital celebrated 10 years of cutting-edge service to Queenslanders in October this year.
Delivering almost 4800 courses of treatment during that tenure, the team behind Australia’s first public hospital Gamma Knife® have harnessed the benefits of this non-invasive alternative to neurosurgery to benefit an expanding scope of health conditions with reduced risk of complications, fewer side effects and minimal impact on quality of life.
Director of the Service, Associate Professor Matthew Foote said the service almost doubled the forecasted capacity within the first two years which led to an upgrade from the Gamma Knife® Perfexion to the Leksell Gamma Knife® Icon in May 2018.
“Demand for the non-invasive solution offered by the Gamma Knife® and the dedication of the multidisciplinary team meant that services far exceeded projections, and with the upgrade, there was a significant increase in case volume thanks to the ability to treat larger targets than the previous model,” Dr Foote said.
“Another innovation was the improved flexibility in dosing regimens and treatment timing which has since allowed us to adopt additional techniques for treating large brain metastases.”
Originally tasked with non-invasive solutions for benign brain tumours, small metastases and some neurological conditions, the service swiftly escalated treatment volume to include larger brain lesions, essential tremor and Parkinson’s Disease for those patients who are unfit for Deep Brain Stimulation.
Assistant Director of Radiotherapy, Michael Jenkins said the Icon upgrade in 2018 included a range of advanced features that allowed more precise treatment options but also more flexibility for patients.
“The ability to offer patients frameless treatment that was less invasive and more comfortable was a critical option for patients – particularly those who needed multiple sessions or who had difficult tolerating the frame which is drilled into the skull before treatment,” he said.
The Icon upgrade offered even more innovations for clinical accuracy with the integrated Stereotactic Cone Beam CT, a High-Definition Motion Management System and online dose evaluation.
“Everything about the clinical delivery is more advanced with the Icon upgrade,” Michael said. “Ultimately, the real-time visualisation and precision alignment improves accuracy and helps manage patient movement, allowing for continuous tracking and adjustment of the treatment.
“Online dose evaluation allows clinicians to assess the dose distribution while treatment is underway offering the flexibility to adjust treatment parameters for best possible outcome for the patient.”
The Gamma Knife® Centre of Queensland plays an integral role in Princess Alexandra Hospital’s (PAH) reputation as a Centre of Excellence in cancer care and treatment. Dr Foote said the success of the PAH service has played a vital role in the implementation of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre’s Gamma Knife®.
“PAH’s Gamma Knife® Centre of Queensland has developed a reputation as a leading educational hub in Australasia for teaching and training in the field of radiosurgery.
“This includes training not only other healthcare professionals within Queensland but also reaching out to other regions of Australia and internationally,” Dr Foote said.
PAH is proud to be a leader in this space, fostering a national network of expertise and championing improved treatment protocols for standardised care across Australia.