Optimizing Stereotactic Intracranial Neoplasm Treatment: A Systematic Review of PET Integration with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

TL;DR

This paper reviews how PET imaging improves Gamma Knife radiosurgery planning for brain tumors and highlights the need for more standardized research.

Contribution

The study systematically evaluates PET's role in Gamma Knife radiosurgery for intracranial neoplasms and identifies gaps in clinical guidelines.

Findings

PET imaging is more accurate than traditional methods for Gamma Knife radiosurgery planning.

Combining PET with traditional imaging improves treatment efficacy for intracranial neoplasms.

Further research is needed to standardize PET use and expand clinical guidelines.

Abstract

Objective: Traditional imaging modalities for the planning of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) are non-specific and do not accurately delineate intracranial neoplasms. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) for the planning of GKRS for intracranial neoplasms (ICNs) and the post-GKRS applications of PET for patient care. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect were searched in order to assemble relevant studies regarding the uses of PET in conjunction with GKRS for ICN treatment. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed to identify relevant studies on the use of PET in conjunction with GKRS. Particular emphasis was placed on review articles and medical research investigating tumor delineation and post-operative care. Relevant studies were selected and assessed based on quality measures, including study design, sample size, and significance. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to examine the yield of the initial search (n = 105). After a secondary review, the included results were identified (n = 50). Results: This study revealed that PET imaging is highly accurate for the planning of GKRS. In fact, many cases indicate that it is more specific than traditional imaging modalities. PET is also capable of complementing traditional imaging techniques through combination imaging. This showed significant efficacy for the planning of GKRS for ICNs. Conclusions: While PET shows a multitude of applications for the treatment of ICNs with GKRS, further research is necessary to assemble a complete set of clinical guidelines for treatment specifications. Importantly, future studies need a greater standardization of methods and expanded trials with a multitude of radiotracers.

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