AAMC is proud to offer the most advanced technologies for treating brain tumors, utilized by highly skilled members of our neurosciences team. We consider every option for monitoring and treating different types of brain tumors. Surgeons evaluate the size and location of the tumor before developing a treatment plan.
AAMC offers PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography), a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool that gives physicians a clearer view of the body’s internal structures. The PET/CT helps detect tumors and other diseases earlier and more precisely.
PET scans detect changes in the body’s cellular makeup, such as tumors or other abnormal physiology. CT scans allow doctors to view the internal structure of the body. Together, the two views help doctors to more accurately locate lesions, determine their cause, and prescribe proper treatment.
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
This technique in MRI brain scan allows doctors to look at the metabolic and chemical nature of specific regions of a brain tumor and guide them in choosing appropriate treatments like non-invasive biopsy.
Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are possible options for brain tumor treatment. Brain tumor surgery, called a craniotomy, involves opening the skull to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy uses powerful rays to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop cancer cells from growing and multiplying.
Vector Vision Computer-Aided Surgery
At AAMC, an interoperative navigation system for image-guided neurosurgery called Vector Vision allows our surgeons to look at the brain multi-dimensionally. Using Vector Vision 3-D imaging for brain surgery, surgeons can operate using the smallest incisions and the least invasive methods, allowing patients to recover faster. This technique uses infrared cameras to map and navigate the patient’s anatomy in real time during surgery.
Because the brain is such a delicate and complex area, surgery may not be indicated for tumors located where the risk to healthy brain tissue is great. Fortunately, AAMC offers state-of-the-art treatments for inoperable tumors, including:
Novalis Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy
Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery is designed to deliver a variety of complex non-invasive radiation therapies, including stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is not available with other forms of stereotactic radiosurgery such as GammaKnife. All of these treatments deliver extremely precise doses of radiation three-dimensionally. Novalis can effectively and painlessly eradicate tumors that are inoperable because of their location.
Unlike conventional radiation therapy which delivers a single strong beam of radiation, stereotactic therapy consists of a series of smaller beams that overlap and precisely mirror the shape of a tumor. Using a shaping device called a micro multi leaf collimator, Novalis can deliver intersecting rays of low-dose radiation which are lethal to tumors but protect healthy surrounding tissue.