University of Southern California USC

50-years of Leadership in International Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Brain Navigation, and Stereotactic Radiosurgery

1958-1970-Edwin M. Todd (Clinical Professor), Trent H. Wells, Jr. (Clinical Professor): Todd Wells Stereotactic Instrument for Brain navigation and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other central nervous disorders designed, tested and globally utilized(#,*)

1974-CT Imaging introduced in North America. One of Initial Los Angeles CT scanners installed at Neurosurgery Department LAC+USC ¹.

1975-Brain Tumor Brachytherapy Program (Iridium -192) introduced at USC School of Medicine ¹ (#)

1978-Prototype Brown-Roberts-Wells Stereotactic Instrument tested at USC with early North American cases; instrument globally utilized according to documented USC techniques ^{1, 3} (#,*)

Dr. Michael L.J. Apuzzo (left), Jamshid Ahmadi (center), and James Sabshin (right), examine the BRW stereotactic system prototype in the fifth floor neurosurgical operating suite at the Los Angeles County/USC General Hospital, 1978. Ahmadi, a neuroradiologist, was instrumental in the original facilitation of CT imaging during test trials of the instrument and initial patient experience. Not evident in the photograph is the desktop calculator used in algorithm employment of imaging translation to mechanical features of the system.

1982-Imaging directed stereotactic Brain tumor Brachytherapy (Iridium -192)Program initiated at the Norris Hospital. ^{1, 2, 4, 3}. (#,*)

1984-Stereotactic Craniotomies and Endoscopic intracerebral surgeries initiated at USC, techniques used globally ^{1, 3.} (#,*)

1985-Early Image Directed Stereotactic Radiosurgery procedures in North America performed at Norris Hospital in parallel with Harvard Colleagues.^{1, 3} (#,*)

1985-Stereotactic Radiosurgery Clinical Program initiated ^{1, 4, 2, 3} (#,*)

Initial developmental radiosurgical group at the Norris Hospital Facility (1985). Dr. Michael L.J. Apuzzo(seated), Chi Zee (neuroradiologist), Dan Machovec (therapist), Gary Luxton (physicist), Zbigniew Petrovich (radiation oncologist), and Michael Sapozink (radiation oncologist) (standing, left to right).

1989- Stereotactic Brain grafting (cellular) program for Parkinson’s disease initiated ^{1, 3} (*)

1988-1990-Cosman-Roberts-Wells stereotactic instrument prototype developed and tested in initial human series, globally utilized according to documented USC techniques ^{1, 3} (#,*)

1991-1994-Designed and architecturally developed prototype stereotactic neurosurgical operating suite at USC University Hospital with USC School of Engineering and Cinegraphic Arts¹ (#,*)

1994-Model U Gamma Knife acquired by University Hospital ^{1, 6, 7, 2, 3} (#,*)

Gamma unit facility suite, with Model U unit, at the USCUniversity Hospital, 1994.

1994-Todd /Wells Professorship in Stereotactic Neurosurgery established at Keck School of Medicine (#)

1994-Frameless stereotactic device for brain navigation, design and development with Radionics (Boston) ¹ (#)

1994-2000-Participator with investigations at Stanford University in development robotic radiosurgical device. ^{1, 2, 7}         

1995-Seminal Studies in Vagal Nerve Stimulation for intractable epilepsy initiated.(#,*)

1998-Consultation for Brain Navigation techniques conceived in development of prototype Cyber Knife Unit with Stanford University ¹ (#,*)

1998- Radiosurgical Program for Pain and Movement Disorders Initiated ¹ (#,*)

2001-Model C Gamma Knife installed at University Hospital ^{1, 6, 7, 2, 8, 5, 3} (#,*)

2002-Cyberknife Installation at Norris Hospital ^{1, 7, 2} (#,*)

Initial CyberKnife installation at the USC Kenneth NorrisHospital, 2002.

2003-2004- NIH Phase I study for Radiosurgery for epilepsy initiated ^{1, 9, 5, 2, 3}

2008-Perfexion Installation at University Hospital  ^{1, 7, 3, 6, 9, 3} 

  Leksell Gamma Knife Perfection installation at the USC University Hospital, 2008.

Key:

• * Related peer review publications
• # National and international invited presentations directly related to radiosurgery

Contributors:

1. Michael L.J. Apuzzo, M.D., Ph.D
2. Zbignew Petrovich, M.D.
3. Vladimir Zelman, M.D., Ph.D
4. Gary Luxton, Ph.D
5. Chi Shing Zee, M.D.
6. Steven L. Giannotta, M.D.
7. Cheng Yu, M.D., Ph.D
8. John Peter Gruen, M.D.
9. Charles Lui, M.D., Ph.D
10. Paul G. Pagnini, M.D.

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