300 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 355-6000 Clinical Services (Neurosurgery): Stereotactic Radiosurgery In stereotactic radiosurgery, a neurosurgeon uses a linear accelerator, proton beam, or gamma knife to generate beams of high-energy radiation which can be focused on the tumor or malformation while leaving nearby tissues unaffected. After the treatment, the affected blood vessels gradually wither and close down. Stereotactic radiosurgery is different from both traditional surgery (there is no cutting involved in radiosurgery) and radiation therapy (which occurs over several sessions and often entails severe side effects). The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional. Copyright © Children's Hospital Boston. All rights reserved.