The patient is then seen in consultation to explain the reasons for the treatment, how it will be performed, and its potential benefits and risks.
A support session is offered by a medical radiologic technologist to explain the different steps of the treatment pathway.
The team schedules the imaging examinations required for treatment. These always include at least:
- A planning CT scan with the creation of a custom thermoplastic mask to position the head exactly as it will be during treatment;
- An MRI with specific sequences, performed for most patients;
- An angiography (X-ray of the arteries), which is required for cases involving cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
The team at the Paris Nord Radiosurgery Center collects the imaging data and imports it into dedicated planning software. These tools allow physicians to outline and define both the area to be treated and the regions of the brain that must be preserved.
Once this medical validation is completed, medical physicists perform the “dosimetry,” meaning the precise definition of the radiation doses to be delivered during treatment, taking into account the constraints established during contouring.
The patient is then invited to come to the center for the treatment sessions.
Depending on the medical indication, the treatment may consist of a single session (single-fraction) or multiple sessions (multi-fraction).
Patient setup for treatment is quick, using the thermoplastic mask created during the planning CT scan. The duration of each session varies depending on the condition being treated, but is most often less than 30 minutes. The treatment is completely painless, and music is offered during the session. The patient can return home immediately, without hospitalization between sessions.
Because the effects of radiation occur gradually, there are generally no immediate side effects — or only very mild ones — such as fatigue or transient neurological symptoms.
Finally, a post-treatment consultation is conducted by the center’s physician.
