Radiosurgery of cerebral arteriovenous malformations in children: a series of 57 cases.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of Linac radiosurgery (RS) as treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVM) in a series of 57 children. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1984 and 2000, we used Linac radiosurgery to treat 792 patients with cAVM. This series included 57 children (7.2%) under the age of 15 years at the time of RS (range = 7-15 years, median = 12 years). We were able to evaluate 49 of the children (86%) by angiography, 21 boys and 28 girls (sex ratio = 0.75). First symptoms were: hemorrhage, 34 patients (69.4%); seizures, 6 patients (12.5%); headache, 6 patients (12.5%); and progressive neurologic deficit, 1 patient (2.1%). Nidus size ranged from 5 to 50 mm (median = 20 mm). Nidus volume ranged from 0.6 to 16 cc (median = 3.5 cc). Patient distribution according to Spetzler-Martin grade was as follows: Grade 1, n = 5 (11%); Grade 2, n = 18 (35%); Grade 3, n = 21 (40%,); Grade 4, n = 5 (14%); and Grade 5, n = 0%. Twenty-seven patients (55.1%) had other treatment before RS: embolization, n = 14 (31.1%); neurosurgery, n = 9 (20.5%); embolization and neurosurgery, n = 3 (6.1%). RS was performed with the system used for adults. Patients were seated in a Betti armchair. Circular 15 MV X-ray minibeams (6 to 20 mm) were delivered in coronal arcs by a GECGR Saturne 43 Linac. Planification and dosimetry were carried out using the Associated Target Methodology and Dosigray TPS dosimetric systems. The dose at the peripheral isodose (50-70%) ranged from 18 to 28 Gy. Median and mean doses were 25 Gy and 23.8 Gy. Mono-isocentric planification was used in 25 patients (53.2%) and multi-isocentric in 24 patients (2 to 5 isocenters). The overall follow-up ranged from 7 to 172 months (mean 40 months, median 34 months).
RESULTS: The overall rate of obliteration (OR) was 30/49 (61.2%). Mean time to obliteration was 34 months (range = 7 to 172 months). OR varied according to nidus size and volume: OR was 80% for nidus <15 mm, 67% for nidus between 15 and 25 mm, and 42% for nidus >25 mm (p = 0.058). OR was 100% for nidus <1 cc, 73% for nidus between 1 and 4 cc, and 40% for nidus of 4 to 10 cc (p = 0.019). OR according to patient gender was 84.2% for boys and 40% for girls. OR according to minimum dose (Dmin) was 44% for Dmin < 15 Gy (p = 0.01), 89% for D min from 15 to 20 Gy, and 100% for Dmin > 20 Gy (p = 0.01). OR was 62% in nonembolized AVM and 58% in previously embolized AVM (NS). OR according to the number of isocenters was 68.2%, 55.6%, 80%, 50%, and 0% for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 isocenters, respectively. After multivariate analysis, only Dmin closely correlated with OR (beta = 0.462; SE = 0.244, p = 0.057). Of the 6 patients with seizures before RS, 5 (80%) were seizure-free without medication after RS. One patient died of pneumonia. MORBIDITY: Four patients (8.2%) had bleeding after RS at 39, 45, 51, and 59 months. No new neurologic deficit was found during the follow-up period. Twenty-nine patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Thirteen patients (44.8%) showed no parenchymal changes. Thirteen patients (44.8%) had Grade 2 changes, that is, T2 hypersignals. Two patients (6.9%) had Grade 3 changes, and 1 patient (3.4%) had Grade 4 "necrosis-like" changes.
CONCLUSION: In our experience, Linac RS has proven to be a safe and effective method to treat cerebral AVM in children <15 years, whether used alone or in association with embolization and/or neurosurgery.