Department of Neurosurgery

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Overview

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a unique and safe alternative to traditional brain and spine surgery for the treatment of complex and difficult neurosurgical conditions. The Brown University SRS Division at Rhode Island Hospital offers two types of SRS: Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. SRS is a non-invasive form of therapy that allows for the precision of surgery without a knife. SRS delivers precise and accurate radiation to brain lesions with a low risk of harming normal brain tissue. There is no need for an incision, eliminating the need for anesthesia, long hospital stays and long recoveries.

SRS is a highly versatile and powerful neurosurgical tool. It can be used to destroy benign brain tumors, metastatic brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations. It is also often used to treat pain conditions like trigeminal neuralgia, as well as certain movement disorders like tremors.

The SRS team consists of a neurosurgeon, radiation oncologist, medical physicist, radiation technologist and nursing staff.

“ Stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-invasive type of treatment that allows for neurosurgery to be performed without an incision or anesthesia. ”

Deus J. Cielo, MD

Our Team

Division Director

  • Deus Cielo, MD

    Deus J. Cielo, MD

    Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Vice-Chair for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, Director, Peripheral Nerve Surgery Division, Co – Director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery Program, Director, Memorial Hospital Neurosurgery Program

Neurosurgery Team

  • Wael Asaad, MD, PhD

    Wael F. Assad, MD, PhD

    Sidney A. Fox and Dorothea Doctors Fox Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience, Vice-Chair, Research, Director, Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery Program, Director, Laboratory for Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation, Assistant Director, Neurosurgery Residency Training Program, Director, Fellowship in Functional & Epilepsy Neurosurgery

Conditions We Treat

  • Metastatic brain tumors such as lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, melanoma
  • Benign brain tumors such as meningiomas, vestibular schwannoma, pituitary tumors
  • Functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia, Parkinson’s disease
  • Vascular malformations such as arteriovenous malformations (AVM)

Technology

CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery System