South Sound Gamma Knife

What South Sound Gamma Knife does

South Sound Gamma Knife is a private outpatient healthcare facility located at St. Joseph Medical Pavilion in Tacoma, Washington, operating as a partnership between St. Joseph Medical Center (part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health) and Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers. Founded in 2005, the facility specializes in Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, a non-invasive form of radiation therapy used to treat brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, acoustic neuromas, trigeminal neuralgia, essential tremor, and pituitary adenomas. It is the only Gamma Knife facility located between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, and the only installation of the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon between Seattle and San Francisco, giving it a regional monopoly on this specific treatment modality.

The core technology is the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon, which uses up to 192 converging beams of high-dose cobalt-60-generated photons focused on computer-mapped targets with three-dimensional treatment planning. Patients are fitted with a custom headframe or mask to immobilize the head, enabling extreme accuracy (within half the width of a human hair) and protection of healthy brain tissue. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis with no hospital stay required, and patients typically return to normal activities within 24–48 hours. Cumulative treatment volume exceeds 1,300 procedures since opening.

Revenue is generated on a fee-for-service basis through procedure reimbursement from Medicare and commercial insurance carriers; the facility preauthorizes procedures and accepts patients directly without a physician referral. The facility's go-to-market is referral-driven via primary care physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and oncologists, supplemented by direct patient intake (including virtual consultations) and patient testimonial content on the website. Patients have traveled from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and as far as Georgia. The clinical team comprises a multidisciplinary group of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, radiation physicists, nurses, and support staff, with physicians holding staff privileges at CHI Franciscan and MultiCare Health System hospitals.

Name

South Sound Gamma Knife

Legal name

South Sound Gamma Knife at St. Joseph

Website

https://southsoundgammaknife.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South Sound Gamma Knife is a private outpatient facility in Tacoma, WA operating the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon to deliver non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumors, AVMs, trigeminal neuralgia, essential tremor, and other neurological conditions, serving patients across the South Puget Sound region and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neurosurgical Radiation Therapy Services

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKAFAC

Radiation Oncology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Hematology & Oncology

SECONDARYHLAKAFAH

Neuro-Oncology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Hematology & Oncology

Keywords

• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Gamma Knife treatment
• Brain tumor therapy
• Neurological disorder treatment
• Outpatient radiation therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Procedures: Fee-for-service healthcare provider offering outpatient Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery procedures. Services are covered by most medical insurance plans including Medicare. Prior authorization is required for specific diagnostic reasons. The facility performs procedures on patients with various brain conditions including tumors, AVMs, and functional disorders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

South Sound Gamma Knife provides outpatient, non-invasive Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumors, metastatic tumors, acoustic neuromas, arteriovenous malformations, trigeminal neuralgia, essential tremor, and pituitary adenomas. Using the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon with up to 192 converging cobalt-60 photon beams guided by MRI/CT/angiography treatment planning, the facility delivers single-dose targeted radiation as a same-day outpatient procedure with no hospital stay.

Product overview

South Sound Gamma Knife operates as a specialized medical facility providing Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery services. The core offering is the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon™ procedure, which uses up to 192 converging beams of high-dose cobalt-60-generated photons to perform non-invasive brain treatment. Supporting services include diagnostic imaging (MRI, CT, angiography) for treatment planning. The facility treats a range of neurological conditions including acoustic neuroma, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), trigeminal neuralgia, brain tumors (primary and metastatic), essential tremor, and pituitary adenomas. All procedures are performed as outpatient services with no hospital stay required.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leksell Gamma Knife Icon Stereotactic Radiosurgery Non-invasive outpatient stereotactic radiosurgery using the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon system with up to 192 converging cobalt-60 photon beams and three-dimensional treatment planning to deliver single-dose targeted radiation for adult and pediatric patients with brain tumors and disorders.
• Diagnostic Imaging for Treatment Planning Three-dimensional diagnostic imaging including MRI, CT scan, and angiography used to determine the exact size, shape, and position of the radiation target for Gamma Knife treatment planning.
• Acoustic Neuroma Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas), non-cancerous tumors affecting the auditory nerve, with a 71% rate of preserved useful hearing and less than 1% rate of facial weakness and numbness.
• Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations, abnormal tangles of arteries and veins in the brain that can cause bleeding or neurological damage, with gradual obliteration of the AVM typically over two years.
• Trigeminal Neuralgia Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia, a cranial nerve disorder causing intense facial pain, providing acceptable pain relief for approximately 85% of patients.
• Primary Brain Tumor Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for benign and malignant primary brain tumors including meningiomas, glioblastomas, and pituitary adenomas, using precise radiation to damage tumor cell DNA and inhibit reproduction.
• Metastatic Brain Tumor Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for brain metastases from primary cancers such as lung, breast, melanoma, colon, or kidney, particularly effective for tumors 3 cm or less in critical or deep brain areas, often as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan.
• Essential Tremor Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery thalamotomy for essential tremor and Parkinsonian tremor, a neurological movement disorder causing involuntary shaking, with symptom reduction typically noticed 3-6 months post-treatment.
• Pituitary Adenoma Gamma Knife Treatment Gamma Knife radiosurgery for pituitary adenomas, benign slow-growing tumors of the pituitary gland that can affect hormone production and cause vision problems, with hormone control typically achieved over 2-3 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of trigeminal neuralgia patients experience acceptable pain relief
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Joseph Medical Center (Virginia Mason Franciscan Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Sound Gamma Knife is a partnership with St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health system. The Gamma Knife procedure is performed at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. The facility is located within St. Joseph Medical Pavilion.
• Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers and St. Joseph Medical Center to operate South Sound Gamma Knife. The team includes physicians from Tacoma/Valley Radiation Oncology Centers, including Radiation Oncologist Dr. Herbert Wang who joined in August 2004.
• CHI Franciscan / MultiCare Health SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhysicians at South Sound Gamma Knife hold staff privileges at CHI Franciscan and MultiCare Health System hospitals, allowing for integrated patient care across health systems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• OHSU Knight Cancer Institute: Major academic cancer center in Portland, OR offering radiation oncology and SRS services. Comparable as a regional Pacific Northwest oncology provider with overlapping patient catchment and competing modality options.

Emerging players

• Accuray (CyberKnife): CyberKnife is a competing stereotactic radiosurgery technology deployed at many US hospitals and oncology centers. Represents the most direct technological alternative to Gamma Knife for cranial SRS, threatening referral share for cranial-only Gamma Knife centers.

Direct peers

• Barrow Neurological Institute Gamma Knife Center: One of the largest and most experienced Gamma Knife centers in the US, operated by an academic neurosurgery program. Comparable as a direct Gamma Knife service provider with similar procedure mix and clinical outcomes orientation.
• Swedish Health Services Gamma Knife Program: Swedish Medical Center in Seattle operates a Gamma Knife radiosurgery program serving the same Pacific Northwest market. Most comparable peer given geographic proximity and identical Gamma Knife technology platform.
• UCLA Health Gamma Knife Program: Major academic Gamma Knife program in Los Angeles offering the same stereotactic radiosurgery procedures. Comparable as a high-volume Gamma Knife service with multidisciplinary team approach.
• Stanford Health Care Gamma Knife Program: Academic Gamma Knife program serving Northern California with newer platform technology. Comparable as a high-volume Gamma Knife center with strong neurosurgery and radiation oncology integration.
• UCSF Gamma Knife Center: Academic Gamma Knife program in San Francisco treating a similar mix of brain tumors, AVMs, and functional disorders. Comparable as a Gamma Knife service provider with strong clinical reputation and outcomes focus.

Broad incumbents

• Providence Swedish Cancer Institute: Major Pacific Northwest health system offering comprehensive cancer care including radiation oncology in the Seattle market. Comparable as a broad regional oncology provider that competes for the same brain tumor and metastatic cancer patient population.
• MultiCare Health System: Regional Pacific Northwest health system where SSGK physicians hold staff privileges. Comparable as a broader healthcare network providing oncology services across the South Puget Sound region with potential referral and competitive overlap.
• Virginia Mason Franciscan Health: Parent health system and JV partner of South Sound Gamma Knife. Operates broader oncology, neurosurgery, and radiation oncology services across the Pacific Northwest, providing integrated patient volume and competitive positioning context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about South Sound Gamma Knife