The History of the Gamma Knife
- 1st Edition, Volume 215 - October 30, 2014
- Author: Jeremy C. Ganz
- Language: English
- Hardback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 5 2 0 - 4
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 5 2 6 - 6
The History of the Gamma Knife presents the evolution of concepts and technology which ended in the production of the modern Gamma Knife. The story starts before the Second Wo… Read more
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Request a sales quoteThe History of the Gamma Knife presents the evolution of concepts and technology which ended in the production of the modern Gamma Knife. The story starts before the Second World War and links pioneers in Berkeley and Sweden. To the best of the author’s belief it is the first detailed, factually accurate account of the development of this important therapeutic method.
- The author has been involved in Gamma Knife surgery since the early days and has written 3 books and many papers on the topic
- The author is fluent in Scandinavian languages and knows the original pioneers in the field and has consulted with them to ensure the story is accurate
- The book is written in an informal easy to read style
- The book fills a vacuum in the literature. There are many short accounts of a few pages but no hopefully definitive account of the story of the Gamma Knife. Also these short accounts all too often contain errors which hopefully are absent from the current text
Neurosurgeons, Radiation Oncologists, Medical Physicists, Investors and Administrators. The volume will serve as an outstanding reference for both those just entering the field and experts seeking an update on this fast moving area
Chapter 1: Background knowledge in the early days
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Clinical Neurology
- 3 Investigations
- 4 Operating Theater Limitations
- 5 Introduction of Specialized Clinical Neurosciences Departments
- 6 Conclusion
Chapter 2: Some physics from 550 BC to AD 1948
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Before Accelerators
- 3 The Need for New Instruments
- 4 A Digression
- 5 Units
Chapter 3: Medical physics - particle accelerators - the beginning
- Abstract
- 1 The Age of Particle Accelerators
- 2 The Advent of the Cyclotron
- 3 Ernest Orlando Lawrence (1901–1958): An Outline
- 4 John Hundale Lawrence (1903–1991): An Outline
- 5 Artificial Radiation
- 6 First Cyclotron-related Patient Treatment
- 7 Principles of Early Medical Applications of the Cyclotron: Neutrons
- 8 Principles of Early Medical Applications of the Cyclotron: Protons
Chapter 4: From particle accelerator to radiosurgery
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Required Physical Characteristics
- 3 Indications
- 4 Design Characteristics of a Particle Beam for Radiosurgery
- 5 Practical Early Medical Applications of the Cyclotron: Physical and Animal Experiments
- 6 Practical Early Medical Applications of the Cyclotron: Crossover Technique
Chapter 5: Stereotactic and radiosurgery concepts in sweden
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Lars Leksell
- 3 Three-Dimensional Reference System Common to Imaging, Treatment Planning, and Treatment
- 4 The First Paper on Radiosurgery
- 5 The First Radiosurgery Cases
Chapter 6: Stereotactic and radiosurgery research in sweden
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Börje Larsson (1933–1998)
- 3 Uppsala Research
- 4 Summary
Chapter 7: The journey from proton to gamma knife
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 How Could Proton Beams Be Replaced?
- 3 Larsson and Lidén Principles
- 4 Gamma Knife Preparation
- 5 Sophiahemmet
Chapter 8: The earliest gamma unit patients
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 A Little About Scandinavian Culture
- 3 The Early Patients
- 4 Names
Chapter 9: Stockholm radiosurgery developing 1968–1982
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Early Limitations of Imaging and Dose Planning
- 3 The Introduction of Computerized Imaging
- 4 Gamma Unit Number 2
- 5 Status with Specific Diseases
Chapter 10: From stockholm to pittsburgh
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Need for a Gamma Knife Manufacturer
- 3 Hernan Bunge from Buenos Aires and David Forster from Sheffield
- 4 Elekta, Scanditronix, and Investment
- 5 The First Gamma Knife in the United States
Chapter 11: Changing times and early debates
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 AVMs
- 3 Pituitary Region Tumors
- 4 Meningiomas
- 5 Metastases
- 6 Vestibular Schwannomas
Chapter 12: The development of dose planning
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Imaging Modalities
- 3 KULA
- 4 GammaPlan
Chapter 13: Changing the gamma knife
- Abstract
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Changing the Helmets
- 3 The B Model
- 4 Introducing the APS: The C Model
- 5 Plugging
- 6 Perfexion
Chapter 14: Conclusion and possible future trends
- Abstract
- 1 Final Thoughts
- 2 Quo Vadis?
- 3 Principles
- 4 Avoidance of Controversy
- 5 Concluding Remarks
- No. of pages: 152
- Language: English
- Edition: 1
- Volume: 215
- Published: October 30, 2014
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Hardback ISBN: 9780444635204
- eBook ISBN: 9780444635266
JG
Jeremy C. Ganz
Jeremy Ganz was trained in neurosurgery at Queen Square London, Frenchay Hospital Bristol and Manchester Royal Infirmary. He emigrated to Norway in 1976 and was appointed staff surgeon in Bergen in 1979. In 1989 he was appointed chief of the Gamma Knife Center in Bergen, the fifth such center in the world. Since then he has travelled the world teaching Gamma Knife practice finishing in Cairo where he helped establish a Gamma Knife Center, where he worked for six years.
Since retirement he has published three books on Gamma Knife neurosurgery and one on epidural bleeding. Subsequently he has been interested in neurosurgical history, in particular the history of cranial surgery from Hippocrates to the present with two books and several papers on these topics.