Gamma knife radio surgery is surgery without a scalpel. The procedure combines radiation oncology and neurosurgery to treat lesions in the brain, including tumors.

Among the upsides, there's no incision in the skull, the radiation can be given in a single outpatient setting, and there are no typical side effects like hair loss, and nausea and vomiting, that come with traditional radiation therapy.

This week on the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Bruce Pollock, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, explains how gamma knife radiosurgery is performed.