2Department of Radiology, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir-Türkiye DOI : 10.5505/tjo.2023.4088 OBJECTIVE
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare vascular pathologies that can be treated with surgery, embolization, and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Most of the data about SRS applied for AVM treatment belong to Gamma Knife. In this study, the patients who were treated with linear accelerators with filter-free energies (FFF) were retrospectively analyzed.
METHODS
In this study, 19 patients with AVM diagnosis who underwent SRS with FFF and VMAT technique
between 2014 and 2022 were evaluated. The clinical features and radiotherapy planning data of the patients
were analyzed. The treatment response was evaluated with angiography/MR angiography results
performed at 6, 12, and 24 months after SRS. The duration until the treatment response, side effects, and
the factors affecting them were examined.
RESULTS
The median age of the patients was 33 (12-64) years. Embolization was performed before SRS in 12
patients, while seven received SRS only. Nine patients were treated with 6X-FFF and 10 with 10X-FFF
energy. The median PTV was 7.30 cc (1.20?37.60). The median treatment dose was 20 Gy (15-20 Gy).
Median follow-up was 20 (5-81) months. Symptoms disappeared after the treatment in twelve patients
(63%) and the median time to symptom disappearance was 4.5 (1-12) months. Median follow-up was
20 (5?1) months. Complete obliteration was seen in twelve patients and median time to obliteration
was 11.5 (3?31) months. Partial obliteration was achieved in five patients. Based on the radiological
evaluation, the obliteration rates were 6/18 (33%), 6/14 (43%), and 8/13 (62%) at 6, 12, and 24 months,
respectively. Complete obliteration was obtained in six patients who reached a 3-year follow-up period.
Brain necrosis was observed in three patients (16%) at 11, 27, and 30 months.
CONCLUSION
In patients diagnosed with AVM, the treatment outcomes of SRS with LINAC-based FFF are similar to
those achieved with other systems. A longer follow-up period is required for evaluating the side effects.