Methodist Healthcare is the only place in the Mid-South where you can receive gamma knife surgery. Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a very precise form of therapeutic radiology. Even though it is called surgery, a Gamma Knife procedure does not involve actual surgery, nor is the Gamma Knife really a knife at all. It is called surgery because a result similar to an actual surgical procedure is created by a one-session radiation therapy treatment.

The Gamma Knife uses beams of highly-focused gamma rays to treat small to medium-size lesions, usually in the brain. Many beams of gamma radiation join to focus on the lesion under treatment, providing a very intense dose of radiation without a surgical incision or opening.The beams of radiation are very precisely focused to reach the tumor, lesion, or other area being treated with minimal effect on surrounding healthy tissue.

With the introduction of the Memphis Regional Gamma Knife Center in 1995, patients with certain brain tumors in a seven-state area now benefit from Gamma Knife therapy, one of the most advanced neuro-radiological treatment options available today. Considered revolutionary, Gamma Knife treatments have given new hope to patients with brain tumors and other ailments that were once thought to be inoperable. The Gamma Knife replaces a surgeon’s scalpel by aiming at the affected area with a single, 200-beam dose of radiation.

• The gamma knife is virtually painless.
• The procedure does not require an incision.
• The usual risks of surgery and anesthesia are eliminated.
• Patients experience minimal discomfort and can usually resume normal activities within one to three days.

The Memphis Regional Gamma Knife Center is located on the Methodist University Hospital campus. Considered one of the top-five Radiosurgery centers in the country, the center is the only one of its kind in both the region and state.

The founder and medical director of the Memphis Regional Gamma Knife Center, Dr. David Cunningham received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. He completed his neurosurgery training in Memphis at Methodist Hospital, Veteran’s Administration Hospital and the University of Tennessee at Memphis.

Ask your physician about Gamma Knife Surgery—know all of your treatment options. To find a Methodist Healthcare affiliated gamma knife surgeon in Memphis, Tennessee, please call 888.777.5959 or use our physician locator.