Radiosurgery performed with the "Gamma Knife" or on a linac facility is a specific radiotherapy method to treat certain lesions in the brain with a high single radiation dose. Geometric miss of a radiosurgica target is considered the most likely serious error in a stereotactic radiosurgery treatment. Therefore, the issue of quality assurance in stereotactic radiosurgery is a serious one for neurosurgeons, physicists, patients and those of us who wish to analyze the results of radiosurgery. The purpose of this book is to offer and describe a quality assurance program and procedures of the physical and technical aspects through identifying the sources of possible errors and suggesting quality assurance tests that should be performed in order for a stereotactic system to be used clinically.

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the Report
1.2 Definition of Key Terms
2 Quality Assurance Aspects and Requirements
2.1 Quality Assurance Aspects of Stereotactic Target Localization
2.2 Quality Assurance Aspects of Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
2.3 Quality Assurance Aspects in Treatment Delivery
3 Description of Recommended Quality Assurance Tests
3.1 Stereotactic Localization and Immobilization
3.2 Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
3.3 Treatment Delivery
4 List of Tests
4.1 Stereotactic Localization and Immobilization
4.2 Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
4.3 Treatment Delivery
Appendix A. Accuracy Requirements for Dosimetry from Tumor Control Probability Data
Appendix B. Suggestion for Testing a Treatment Planning System
Appendix C. Correction of Spatial Distortion in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Stereotactic Operation/Treatment Planning in the Brain
References.