A device for experimental radiosurgery.

As radiosurgery evolves into a widely available treatment modality for a variety of intracranial lesions, the need for basic research concerning the radiobiology of high-dose single-fraction ionizing radiation becomes crucial. A device especially designed for experimental radiosurgery in the cat is described. It incorporates basic parts of the Kopf stereotactic frame for accurate target positioning. A motorized pendular movement of the machine is used to describe a radiation arc, while the radiation source (either a linear accelerator or a cobalt machine) remains stationary. The pathway of the different radiation arcs is modified by rotation of the animal platform around the machine isocenter. Mechanical accuracy tests have shown a maximal alignment error of 0.15 mm, comparing favorably with that reported for modern clinical radiosurgical systems.