Concierge neuro-oncology · UK
Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, by a named UK MDT.
Submillimetre-precise cranial radiotherapy from 192 cobalt-60 sources — for brain metastases, acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, AVMs, trigeminal neuralgia and more. NHS-commissioned where eligible; private where not.
Why patients choose us
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A named neurosurgery and oncology MDT
Not a booking agency. A consultant neurosurgeon, clinical oncologist and medical physicist plan every case together — the way Gamma Knife is meant to be done.
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Frame or frameless — whichever suits
For a single small lesion, the Leksell frame is still the gold standard. For fractionated treatment or multiple metastases, the Elekta Icon mask works beautifully. We say which, and why.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no centre, so the recommendation between Queen Square, Sheffield, Cromwell, Thornbury or Amethyst is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private Gamma Knife costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across UK Gamma Knife centres. Where the indication is NHS-commissioned, treatment is free at the point of delivery — we check that first.
In short
Private single-fraction Gamma Knife in the UK: £15,000–£25,000, home the same day.
| Treatment | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma Knife single-fraction (mask, one target) | £15,000–£22,000 | 1–3 h | Same-day discharge |
| Gamma Knife single-fraction (frame, one target) | £17,000–£25,000 | 2–4 h | Same-day discharge |
| Hypofractionated (3–5 sessions, Icon mask) | £22,000–£30,000 | 3–5 visits | Same-week |
| Multiple brain metastases (single session) | £20,000–£28,000 | 2–4 h | Same-day discharge |
| Trigeminal neuralgia Gamma Knife | £15,000–£20,000 | 1–2 h | Same-day discharge |
| Consultation and imaging review only | £300–£600 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by centre, by target volume and by whether frame or mask is used. We come back with a firm quote — and a clear answer on NHS eligibility — within one working day.
The problem
The right platform, the right team, the right indication.
Gamma Knife is not the only stereotactic tool, and it is not always the right one. We compare Gamma Knife, CyberKnife, Novalis and TrueBeam SRS honestly against your diagnosis before booking anything.
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Not sure it is the right tool?
Surgery, proton therapy or watchful waiting may be a better fit. We say so before you commit to radiosurgery.
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Worried about brain effects?
Focal Gamma Knife is far kinder to cognition than whole-brain radiotherapy — we explain what the evidence actually shows.
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Want NHS access checked first?
Many Gamma Knife indications are commissioned by NHS England. We check eligibility before quoting private fees.
The journey
From imaging to follow-up MRI — what happens, in order.
One point of contact from first message to review — through consultation, MDT, treatment and imaging follow-up.
Phase 1 · Before treatment
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A day at the centre
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
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Before
You send us the imaging
A short, confidential form. Your MRI or CT, the diagnosis, previous treatment, and any symptoms.
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Before
We come back with a plan
Within one working day: whether Gamma Knife is the right tool, whether NHS commissioning applies, which centre fits, and an indicative timeline.
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Before
Neurosurgery and oncology review
Your imaging goes to a consultant neurosurgeon and clinical oncologist. Dose, target and fractionation are agreed at MDT.
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On the day
Arrival at the centre
Arrival, consent and, if a frame is used, a scalp local anaesthetic and pin placement. Same-day planning MRI follows.
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On the day
Planning, then treatment
Physicist, oncologist and neurosurgeon finalise the plan. Treatment itself is 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on target volume and dose.
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On the day
Home the same day
The frame or mask comes off. A short recovery, written aftercare, and home within a few hours. Back to normal activities the next day.
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After
Follow-up MRI and review
Follow-up MRI at 6–12 months, then annual. Tumour shrinkage takes weeks to months; AVM obliteration takes 2–3 years.
Typical end-to-end: 2–4 weeks from enquiry to treatment. First follow-up MRI: 6–12 months.
When it helps
When Gamma Knife is the right treatment.
The indications we see most across UK Gamma Knife centres, plus the one red flag that means A&E rather than an outpatient booking.
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Brain metastases (1–10 lesions)
Single or oligometastatic disease, each lesion typically under 3 cm — increasingly preferred over whole-brain radiotherapy to preserve cognition.
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Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
Tumours under 3 cm — hearing and facial-nerve preservation is superior to microsurgery, with 90%+ tumour control at ten years.
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Meningioma (skull-base, cavernous sinus)
Small meningiomas in places surgery cannot reach safely — cavernous sinus, petroclival, parasellar.
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Trigeminal neuralgia
Facial pain refractory to medical therapy — an alternative to microvascular decompression or percutaneous procedures.
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Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
Small, deep-seated AVMs unsuitable for surgery or embolisation — obliteration typically over 2–3 years.
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Pituitary or residual skull-base tumour
Residual or recurrent pituitary adenoma after transsphenoidal surgery; adjunct treatment for chordoma or chondrosarcoma.
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Movement disorders (tremor)
Unilateral Gamma Knife thalamotomy for medically-refractory essential or Parkinson’s tremor — an alternative to DBS or MRgFUS where available.
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Red flag: raised intracranial pressure
Severe headache with vomiting, drowsiness or new neurological weakness needs same-day A&E, not an outpatient booking.
Treatment options
Gamma Knife is not one procedure.
What each variant on the table actually involves — and how Gamma Knife compares with linac-based SRS.
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Frame-based Gamma Knife (Leksell)
The traditional gold standard. A lightweight titanium frame is fixed to the scalp under local anaesthetic — submillimetre accuracy for a single-session treatment.
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Frameless Gamma Knife (Elekta Icon)
A thermoplastic mask plus cone-beam CT tracks head position in real time. Ideal for fractionated treatment and multiple targets.
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Single-fraction radiosurgery
One session, one high dose — the classic approach for small acoustic neuromas, single metastases and trigeminal neuralgia.
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Hypofractionated radiosurgery
3–5 sessions across a week. Used for larger lesions or those near the optic nerves or brainstem, where fractionation lowers late-effect risk.
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Gamma Knife for multiple metastases
Up to ten targets treated in one sitting — a cognitively kinder alternative to whole-brain radiotherapy.
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Linac-based SRS (context)
CyberKnife, Novalis and TrueBeam SRS deliver stereotactic radiosurgery too. We explain the trade-offs honestly — Gamma Knife is not always the answer.
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Gamma Knife thalamotomy
A focused lesion in the thalamus for tremor — a non-invasive alternative to deep-brain stimulation for the right patient.
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Consultation and imaging review only
Sometimes the honest answer is that surgery, proton therapy or observation is a better fit. We say so before you commit.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of centres, we picked them.
Gamma Knife centres in London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Cambridge, Bristol and Preston. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every Gamma Knife centre in our network.
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Elekta Gamma Knife Icon or Perfexion platform, not a marketing label
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Neurosurgery, clinical oncology and medical physics on one MDT
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Frame and frameless (mask) both available for the right indication
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NHS-commissioned indications delivered under Highly Specialised Services where eligible
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Gamma Knife is a well-established, non-surgical day-case treatment. The things worth planning are the transient day-one effects, the delayed timeline, and the specific late risks tied to your target location.
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No incision, no general anaesthetic
No bleeding risk and no infection risk from surgery. Scalp discomfort from frame pins settles within 24–48 hours.
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Transient effects on the day
Headache, mild nausea, scalp tenderness and tiredness are common in the first 24–48 hours. Simple painkillers cover it.
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Radiation necrosis (5–10%)
Delayed swelling around the treated area, usually 6–18 months later. Managed with steroids, occasionally bevacizumab, rarely surgery.
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Cranial nerve effects (<5%)
Facial numbness or weakness, or hearing change, is uncommon with modern dose planning — but a real consideration for lesions near the trigeminal or facial nerve.
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Pituitary dysfunction
If a lesion sits near the pituitary, hormone levels are monitored long-term — hypopituitarism can develop years after treatment.
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Delayed effect is normal
Tumours shrink over weeks to months, not days. AVMs take 2–3 years to obliterate. This is expected, not a treatment failure.
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Cognitive change — the honest answer
Focal Gamma Knife is far kinder to cognition than whole-brain radiotherapy, but very rare changes can occur. We weigh this openly for each case.
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Secondary tumour risk (<0.1% at 10–15 y)
A very rare late risk — usually a radiation-induced meningioma. Worth naming in consent, not worth losing sleep over.
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Red flags after treatment
New severe headache, seizure, sudden weakness, vomiting or drowsiness needs same-day medical attention — call the centre or A&E.
Reading your treatment note
Your radiosurgery note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whether frame or mask, single-fraction or hypofractionated, the note the MDT sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Dosimetry language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the plan before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Diagnosis, target and prescription dose
The lesion treated, its volume, and the dose delivered — usually stated as marginal dose to the tumour edge in Gray (Gy).
- 02 Technique
Frame or mask, single or fractionated
Whether a Leksell frame or Elekta Icon mask was used, and whether treatment was one session or 3–5 fractions.
- 03 Findings
Conformity, coverage and organs at risk
How closely the dose hugged the target, the coverage achieved, and the dose received by nearby structures such as the optic apparatus or brainstem.
- 04 Impression
Expected effect and follow-up MRI timing
Read this first: what to expect over the next months, when the follow-up MRI is booked, and what symptoms to report early.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Insurer cover for Gamma Knife varies by policy and by indication. Where the indication is NHS-commissioned, treatment is delivered under Highly Specialised Services at no cost. We confirm cover and eligibility before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about Gamma Knife.
Quick answers on NHS access, cost, how it compares to CyberKnife, and how long it takes to work.
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What is Gamma Knife and how is it different from linac SRS?
Gamma Knife is a dedicated stereotactic radiosurgery platform — 192 cobalt-60 sources focused to submillimetre precision inside a shielded helmet. Linac systems like CyberKnife, Novalis and TrueBeam SRS deliver similar treatments with a moving linear accelerator. For small skull-base and intracranial targets, Gamma Knife’s conformity remains the benchmark; for lesions elsewhere or larger volumes, linac SRS can be preferable. Neither is universally better — the MDT decides.
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Is Gamma Knife available on the NHS?
Yes, for defined indications. NHS England commissions Gamma Knife through Highly Specialised Services and the Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Radiotherapy network — brain metastases, acoustic neuroma, meningioma, AVM, trigeminal neuralgia, pituitary adenoma and a handful of others. Centres include Queen Square (National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery), Sheffield (the world’s first Gamma Knife, 1985), Amethyst Newcastle and Cambridge, Thornbury Bristol, and Preston.
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How much does private Gamma Knife cost in the UK?
Roughly £15,000–£25,000 for a single-fraction treatment and £22,000–£30,000 for a hypofractionated course. Multi-metastasis sessions sit in the £20,000–£28,000 range. Where an indication is NHS-commissioned, treatment is free at the point of delivery — we always check that first.
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How long does the treatment take?
From arrival to home is usually a full day. The treatment beam itself is anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on target volume and prescribed dose. You lie still on a treatment couch, awake, with the frame or mask in place.
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Is it painful?
Frame placement uses local anaesthetic to numb four pin sites on the scalp — a brief pressure sensation, not pain. The treatment itself is silent and painless. Afterwards, mild headache, scalp tenderness and tiredness are the commonest complaints and settle within 24–48 hours.
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How quickly does it work?
Gamma Knife is a delayed treatment. Tumours shrink over weeks to months, and often stabilise rather than disappear entirely. AVMs typically obliterate over 2–3 years. Trigeminal neuralgia pain usually eases over 1–3 months. Slow does not mean ineffective.
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What are the main risks?
The main delayed risk is radiation necrosis around the treated area in roughly 5–10% of cases — usually manageable with steroids. Cranial-nerve effects sit below 5% with modern planning. Pituitary hormones are monitored if the target is near the pituitary. Very rare late risks include seizure, hydrocephalus, cystic transformation and — at 10–15 years — a secondary radiation-induced tumour under 0.1%.
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When would you not recommend Gamma Knife?
Very large lesions (over 3–4 cm), tumours pressing on the optic nerves at unsafe distance, disease scattered too widely, or a diagnosis that calls for surgery, proton therapy or systemic treatment first. We tell you honestly if Gamma Knife is not the right tool for your case.
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