Pittsburgh, March 14, 2007 -- Douglas Kondziolka, MD, and L. Dade Lunsford, MD, co-directors of the Department of Neurological Surgery's Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery, are co-editors of a newly released book volume Radiosurgery and Pathological Fundamentals, discussing the latest developments of pathological fundamentals and new trends in radiosurgery. The book, published by Karger, is the latest volume in the publisher's Progress in Neurological Surgery series.

György T. Szeifert, MD, PhD, of the Semmelweis University National Institute of Neurosurgery in Budapest, Hungary is editor of this volume. Marc Levivier, MD, PhD, of the Université Libre de Bruxelles Centre Gamma Knife, in Brussels, Belgium serves as another co-editor.

Because of the huge clinical experience that has been accumulated in radiosurgery, the publisher deemed it timely to explore and process out systematically pathological fundamentals on the effect of focused irradiation. The authors believe a better understanding of radiobiology will enhance the outcomes of radiosurgical procedures.

In this volume, renowned experts from all over the world discuss the baselines of pathology and radiobiology, medical physical principles, dose prescription guidelines, current radiosurgical techniques, advanced computer technology and recent imaging methods in radiosurgery. In Fundamentals the most pioneering feature is the parallel discussion of clinical radiosurgical results with fundamental pathological findings following high-dose focused irradiation. Topics range from benign and malignant brain tumors, vascular malformations, functional disorders, ocular and spinal radiosurgery, interstitial brachytherapy to experimental efforts.

Published since 1966, the Progress in Neurological Surgery series has become universally recognized as the most significant group of books serving neurological surgeons. Volumes feature contributions from distinguished international surgeons, who brilliantly review the literature from the perspective of their own personal experience. The result is a series of works providing critical distillations of developments of central importance to the theory and practice of neurological surgery. Dr. Lunsford is the series editor.

More information on this volume -- and the series in general -- can be found on the Karger website.