In the course a 5 years (1993–1998) the authors treated 60 patients with cavernous sinus meningioma using Leksell’s gamma knife in the Hospital Na Homolce. The age of the patients ranged from 19–82 years, median 56.5 years. Radiosurgery was primary treatment in 65 % of the patients, in the rest a microsurgical resection preceded. The volume of the tumor renged from 0.9–31.4 cm 3 , median 7.5 cm 3 . The meningioma was distant from the optic tract in 60 % of cases, in 11,7 % cases there was a contact of the tumour and the optic tract without its compression and in 28.3 % of cases there was compression of the optic tract caused by the meningioma. The dose to the tumour margin vas 10–14 Gy, median 12 Gy. A check-up was made in 44 patients, after 3–60 months, median 18.5 months. There was no change in the tumour volume in 43 % of cases, in 57 % of cases there was a decrease of the tumour volume. No increase of the tumour was observed. Clinical symptoms improved in 27 % patients, temporary morbidity was recorded in 4.5 %. There was no death related to treatment. Hitherto the results of gamma knife radiosurgery of cavernous sinus meningioma proved safe and efficient, although long-term experience with a large group of patients is lacking. Because microsurgery in the cavernous sinus region is risky despite the improved microsurgical technique and radical resection is often impossible, it is convenient to consider radiosurgery in every case of cavernous sinus meningioma.

        Key words: meningioma, cavernous sinus, radiosurgery, gamma knife