Radiosurgical treatment of meningiomas.

From January 1992 to November 1996, 17 patients with the diagnosis of intracranial meningioma underwent radiosurgical treatment. Of these, 7 patients were treated using a Linac-based system (group 1), and 10 using the Leksell Gamma Knife unit (group 2). The follow-up ranged between 12 and 48 (median 33) months for group 1 and between 1 and 11 (median 5) months for group 2, consisting of clinical and MRI assessments every 3 months during the first year, and every 6 months thereafter. There were 14 women and 3 men. The mean age was 42 years. Prior to radiosurgery, 15 patients underwent surgical procedures. Histological diagnosis was consistent with benign meningioma, except in 2 patients (malignant meningioma). In 15 patients with benign meningiomas there was no evidence of tumor growth as demonstrated by clinical and radiological evaluation, in 2 patients with a malignant histological type there was tumor progression.