Gamma Knife Center

If you need surgery for a brain lesion, such as a tumor or vein abnormality, you may have concerns or questions about the procedure. Brain surgery is extremely complex. At MUSC Health, you are in the exceptionally capable hands of highly skilled surgeons.

Our internationally renowned doctors use the most sophisticated technology, Gamma Knife™ radiosurgery, to safely and effectively destroy many types of brain lesions. MUSC Health is one of only 300 centers worldwide with this surgical capability. With Gamma Knife, our doctors can treat tumors once considered inoperable. 

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery at MUSC Health: Why Choose Us?

When you come to MUSC Health for Gamma Knife radiosurgery, you benefit from:

  • Depth of Experience: Our specialists perform about 300 Gamma Knife radiosurgeries every year, more than double the volume of most hospitals. Our extensive experience results in better outcome for patients.
  • Comprehensive Care: We are the only Gamma Knife center in South Carolina that provides ongoing care after your treatment. Receiving follow-up care from the same specialists who performed your surgery can aid in your recovery.
  • Pioneering Leadership: We have decades of experience in radiosurgical techniques. Our team of doctors, physicists, and engineers helped pioneer the science of radiosurgery more than 20 years ago. Meet our team.
  • Convenience: We know your time is valuable. Our nurse coordinator will work with you to schedule appointments with all of your doctors on the same visit. This nurse also serves as your point-of-contact for questions and concerns. If needed, our guest services staff can assist with travel, lodging and other needs.
  • Teamwork: Our doctors work collaboratively with cancer specialists at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in South Carolina. The Gamma Knife is used for metastases from multiple cancer types, such as breast, lung, brain cancers, and more.

About Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Despite its name, Gamma Knife radiosurgery does not involve a knife or a surgical incision. The Gamma Knife delivers precise beams of radiation (gamma rays) to tumors and lesions deep within the brain. The rays destroy cells to keep the tumor from growing. Over time, the lesions shrink.

Benefits of Gamma Knife radiosurgery include:

  • Pinpoint Accuracy: Gamma Knife radiosurgery is considered the gold standard of treatment for brain lesions. The radiation beams match the size and shape of the tumor. This targeted delivery greatly minimizes damage to surrounding healthy brain tissue.
  • Depth of Reach: The Gamma Knife’s precise focusing ability enables our doctors to treat difficult-to-reach lesions deep within the brain or brain stem. In the past, people with lesions in these areas had few, if any, treatment options.
  • Less Invasive: Gamma rays travel through the skull. Because there is no skull incision, you benefit from:
    • Faster recovery with no hospital stay
    • Reduced risk of infection
    • Lower likelihood of complications
    • Quicker return to everyday activities
  • Minimal Pain: You will receive a mild sedative to alleviate any discomfort. There is no need for anesthesia.
  • More Options: This minimally invasive, nonsurgical procedure is a good option for people who cannot undergo traditional brain surgery due to advanced age or illness.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Gamma Knife Center at MUSC Health or to schedule an appointment, please call 843-792-3223.

Refer a Patient

Submit an online appointment referral form or call our 24-hour referring physician service, MEDULINE, at 800-922-5250. 

Location

The MUSC Health Gamma Knife Center is located at 1 West in the MUSC University Hospital in Charleston, SC.

The best way to access the center is through the entrance to the Clinical Sciences Building at 96 Jonathan Lucas Street. An MUSC parking garage is located across the street at 97 Jonathan Lucas Street.

Our Team

MUSC Health’s Gamma Knife Center offers patients the most complete range of noninvasive treatment options available. Along with gamma knife surgery, the center offers other advanced radiosurgery systems, state-of-the-art imaging technologies, and a dedicated team of specialists.

This team of radiation oncologists' and gamma knife surgeons' approach streamlines the process of evaluating each patient’s options, so the most appropriate course of treatment can be developed and initiated without unnecessary delay, confusion or anxiety.

Head and neck cancer care is coordinated with the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, South Carolina’s only NCI designated cancer center and the MUSC Health Radiation Oncology team.