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Stereotactic radiosurgery - a scalpel of radiation, planned to the millimetre.

Highly focused radiation, delivered in one or a handful of sessions, to a precisely defined target in the brain, spine or body. Gamma Knife, CyberKnife and linac-based platforms all deliver SRS - the platform is a detail, the planning is the whole thing.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private stereotactic radiosurgery costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner units.

In short

SRS or SBRT in our UK partners: £10,000–£28,000, home day-case.

Procedure Indicative range
Single-fraction cranial SRS £12,000–£22,000
Multi-fraction cranial SRS (2–5 sessions) £15,000–£28,000
SBRT (body, per course) £15,000–£28,000
Radiosurgery consultation £350–£650
Planning MRI (dedicated) £950–£1,600
PET-CT (where needed) £1,500–£2,500

Prices vary by hospital, by the consultant, by approach, and by whether adjunct services are needed.

The problem

Precision without a scalpel - but only where the MDT agrees.

SRS is not a substitute for surgery in every case. It excels for well-defined targets and complements surgery elsewhere. The MDT decision is what makes it safe.

  • Not every lesion is an SRS target

    Lesion size, location and pathology all matter. Very large targets and infiltrative disease are usually not SRS candidates.

  • Steroid and anticoagulant planning

    Brain SRS often needs a short steroid course. Anticoagulants are managed carefully around treatment.

  • Follow-up is where problems are caught

    Radionecrosis and treatment response both show up on structured MRI surveillance - the follow-up plan is set on day one.

When it helps

When stereotactic radiosurgery is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that needs urgent attention rather than a routine booking.

  • Brain metastases

    One to a handful of brain metastases from breast, lung, melanoma and other primaries. SRS spares whole-brain radiotherapy in most patients.

  • Meningioma (small to medium)

    Convexity or skull-base meningiomas up to about 3 cm are excellent SRS targets.

  • Vestibular schwannoma

    Small to medium acoustic neuromas - high control rates with SRS, hearing preservation in the right cases.

  • Trigeminal neuralgia

    Medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia responds well to Gamma Knife SRS in selected patients.

  • Arteriovenous malformations

    Small to medium AVMs - SRS obliterates them over 2–3 years.

  • Selected pituitary adenomas

    Residual or recurrent adenomas after surgery are strong SRS candidates.

  • Oligometastatic disease

    A limited number of body metastases - lung, liver, adrenal, spine - treated with SBRT to good effect.

  • Red flag: rapid neurology

    Rapidly progressive neurological deficits or raised intracranial pressure need same-week neurosurgery and imaging - not a routine SRS enquiry.

Options

Approach and technique both depend on the indication.

What each option involves - the surgical or clinical approach, and how it is tailored to each patient.

  • Gamma Knife

    Cobalt-source cranial radiosurgery under a stereotactic frame. High precision for small cranial targets.

  • CyberKnife

    Robotic linac with real-time image guidance. Cranial and body targets, mask or vest immobilisation.

  • Linac-based SRS (TrueBeam, Elekta)

    Modern linear accelerators equipped for stereotactic delivery. Widely available in UK centres.

  • Frameless mask SRS

    Cranial SRS delivered under a thermoplastic mask rather than an invasive frame.

  • SBRT for lung tumours

    Ablative doses in 3–8 fractions for early-stage or oligometastatic lung tumours.

  • SBRT for liver and adrenal targets

    Motion management with breath-hold or tracking. High local control rates.

  • Spine SBRT

    Sub-millimetre precision for spinal metastases sparing the cord.

  • Prostate SBRT

    Five-fraction SBRT for early prostate cancer in selected patients - MDT decision.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

A well-established treatment. The things worth planning are the approach, the aftercare and the follow-up.

  • Fatigue and mild headache

    Common in the days after cranial SRS. Rest and simple analgesia usually enough.

  • Radionecrosis

    A late reaction seen in some brain SRS cases at 6–18 months. Managed with steroids, sometimes bevacizumab or surgery.

  • Peritumoral oedema

    Swelling around the target can worsen symptoms for weeks. Managed with steroids.

  • Hearing and facial nerve outcomes

    For vestibular schwannoma, hearing preservation rates depend on baseline audiogram and dose - set clearly before treatment.

  • Skin and mucosal reactions

    Occasional erythema in body SRS. Sun protection matters for a few months.

  • SBRT-specific risks

    Rib fracture, pneumonitis and rare bowel injury depending on target. Planning is designed to avoid them.

  • AVM latency

    AVMs take 2–3 years to obliterate after SRS. Haemorrhage risk in that window is discussed openly.

  • Repeat treatment

    Repeat SRS to new brain metastases is common. Whole-brain radiotherapy is a fall-back where numbers become high.

  • Red flags after SRS

    New neurology, uncontrolled headache, seizures, breathlessness or bleeding need the same-day oncology team or A&E.

Reading your notes

Your notes in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever approach was used, the note the consultant sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant reviewing a patient’s notes

A quiet reminder

Clinical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the notes before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and MDT decision

    The diagnosis, the target, and the MDT that approved SRS as the right treatment.

  2. 02 Technique

    Platform, dose and fractions

    Gamma Knife, CyberKnife or linac; single or multi-fraction; total dose and prescription isodose.

  3. 03 Findings

    Planning cross-check

    Organs-at-risk metrics, dose conformity and coverage of the target volume.

  4. 04 Impression

    Follow-up plan

    Read this first: the follow-up MRI or CT schedule and which team leads long-term surveillance.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

SRS and SBRT are covered by all major UK insurers when medically indicated and MDT-approved. Pre-authorisation is standard.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about stereotactic radiosurgery.

Quick answers on suitability, technique, cost and recovery.

  • How much does stereotactic radiosurgery cost privately in the UK?

    Roughly £12,000–£22,000 for single-fraction cranial SRS, £15,000–£28,000 for multi-fraction cranial or body SBRT.

  • Is Gamma Knife better than CyberKnife?

    Neither is universally better. Gamma Knife has a long track record for small cranial targets. CyberKnife adds body targets and mask-based cranial work. Modern linac SRS matches both for most indications. The MDT choice matters more than the brand.

  • What does SRS treat?

    Brain metastases, meningioma, vestibular schwannoma, trigeminal neuralgia, arteriovenous malformations, some pituitary tumours, and - as SBRT - selected lung, liver, spine, adrenal and prostate targets.

  • How safe is stereotactic radiosurgery?

    Very. The whole point of SRS is millimetre precision - surrounding tissue receives a fraction of the tumour dose. The main late risk in the brain is radionecrosis in a small percentage, managed with steroids and, occasionally, surgery.

  • How long is recovery?

    Most patients go home the same day and resume normal activities within 24–48 hours. Fatigue and mild headache for a few days after cranial SRS are common.

  • Do I need an MDT before SRS?

    Yes. Every SRS and SBRT case in the UK should have MDT sign-off - a joint radiation-oncology, surgical and radiology decision.

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