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Medical
Informatics 3-D Imaging |
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Varian Medical
announces Japanese clearance for 3-D imaging
Other Topics: Medical
Informatics Transcription,
Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR)
PRNewswire-AsiaNet
March 28, 2007
Palo Alto, CA -- Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: VAR), the
world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for
treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy,
has received Shonin approval from the Japanese Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for three-dimensional cone-beam
CT imaging using the company's On-Board Imager (TM) device for
image-guided radiotherapy.
This imaging modality can now be used by clinicians in Japan to
generate high-contrast three-dimensional images of a targeted
tumor and surrounding anatomy, for improved tumor targeting. |
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Varian's On-Board
Imager is a digital imaging system mounted on a radiotherapy
treatment machine via robotically controlled arms that operate
along three axes of motion. This allows the imager to be
positioned optimally for the best possible view of the tumor and
surrounding anatomy.
The device produces high-resolution images of the tumor, and it
can also track tumor motion to provide doctors with a clear
indication of exactly how a tumor will move during treatment due
to normal breathing and other physiological processes.
The On-Board Imager is the most comprehensive and versatile
imaging system for fine-tuning patient positioning at the moment
of treatment. In addition to 3-D cone-beam CT images, it can
generate radiographic (2-D) and fluoroscopic (moving) images.
Each of these imaging modes offers doctors different kinds of
information about the tumor to be treated, and facilitates
automated patient positioning just prior to treatment.
"The cone-beam CT imaging capability gives doctors an important
third modality for pinpointing the exact location of the tumor,"
said Dow Wilson, president of Varian's Oncology Systems
business. "It is especially useful when the tumor is far from
any bony landmarks, and hard to distinguish from surrounding
soft tissues. Having access to volumetric cone-beam CT data has
the potential to significantly improve tumor targeting in these
difficult cases."
Varian received regulatory approval in the U.S. to market the
On-Board Imager(R) device in March 2004, and the cone-beam CT
feature in November 2004. As of the end of the company's first
quarter this year, there were over 400 installations of the
On-Board Imager for IGRT complete or in progress around the
world.
ABOUT VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is
the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software
for treating cancer and other medical conditions with
radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy.
The company supplies informatics software for managing
comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical
oncology practices. Varian is a premier supplier of tubes and
digital detectors for X- ray imaging in medical, scientific, and
industrial applications and also supplies X-ray imaging products
for cargo screening and industrial inspection.
Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 3,900 people who
are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe
and in its 56 sales and support offices around the world. |
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