Methods of denervating vertebral body using external energy source

A radiotherapy system for treating back pain associated with a vertebral body of a patient, comprising:

• an external radiation source, wherein the external radiation source is configured to be positioned at a location external to the body of the patient;
• a linear drive coupled to the radiation source, the linear drive configured to translate the radiation source with respect to the patient in one or more axes;
• a computer coupled to the radiation source and linear drive, the computer comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory, the computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
• control the linear drive to position a focal point of the external radiation source to substantially coincide with a predetermined target treatment site,
• wherein the target treatment site corresponds to a location of a basivertebral nerve associated with pain in the vertebral body;
• and control the external radiation source to deliver a treatment dose of therapeutic energy at said target treatment site,
• wherein the treatment dose is configured to denervate the basivertebral nerve.

A system for treating back pain associated with a vertebral body of a patient, the system comprising:

• a delivery assembly configured to be percutaneously delivered to a treatment region adjacent the vertebral body, the delivery assembly comprising a catheter having one or more lumens;
• and
• an energy delivery device configured to be advanced within one of the catheter lumens, the energy delivery device being sized to allow positioning of a distal end of the energy delivery device into a basivertebral foramen and having an energy delivery element configured to direct a field of energy into the basivertebral foramen to denervate the basivertebral nerve,
• wherein the directed energy field is focused in a first direction into and confined within the basivertebral foramen.