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Radiotherapy
On-Board Imager |
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Leading China Cancer
Center Offers Advanced Radiotherapy Treatments Using Varian's
On-Board Imager
Other Topics: Medical
Informatics Consulting,
Medical Informatics Care Management
PRNewswire
April 10, 2007
Shandong, China -- One of China's top public cancer centers has
introduced image-guided radiotherapy treatments for cancer
patients using a Clinac(R) linear accelerator and On-Board
Imager(R) from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR). The new
device enables clinicians at Shandong Cancer Hospital in East
China to use advanced image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
techniques that improve precision and potentially increase cure
rates.
"Precision and accuracy are vital whenever you treat a patient
with radiotherapy," says Dr. Jin-Ming Yu, president and chief
radiation oncologist at Shandong Cancer Hospital. "IGRT is
ultimately all about increasing precision and we are delighted
to be able to introduce a comprehensive IGRT program for our
patients." |
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Since installing
the IGRT system, Dr. Yu and his team have treated tumors in the
head and neck, lung, esophagus, liver, brain and other parts of
the body. "Our observations of how tumors move and change over
the course of treatment have only served to confirm that image
guidance is absolutely essential for adapting to those changes
and getting the treatment beam in precisely the correct
position," he says.
He added that advanced treatment techniques including biological
targeting and IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy) also
benefit from an imaging tool such as the On-Board Imager.
"Without it, we would have no practical way to set up patients
for treatment with the millimeter precision we need to be sure
we're always targeting the right place," he said. "We have
implemented a comprehensive IGRT program using the OBI device
and better outcomes can certainly be expected in the not too
distant future."
Using the new equipment, the doctors at Shandong have launched a
series of treatment programs that take advantage of the On-Board
Imager's available imaging modes, including ways of increasing
precision for lung and liver treatments. In particular, the
Shandong clinicians have commenced using the device's cone-beam
CT functionality to generate enhanced 3-D CT images of brain
metastases at the time of treatment. "By using CBCT imaging in
combination with a contrast agent, tumors are extremely well
defined, which means direct brain tumor registration and online
correction is now available to us," said Dr. Yu.
The On-Board Imager makes it possible for clinicians to image
and treat on a single machine that rotates around the patient to
take X-ray images and deliver treatments from virtually any
angle. Mounted on a Clinac(R) medical linear accelerator, the
OBI device produces high-resolution X-ray images of the tumor
and tracks changes in tumor shape, size or position over a
multi- week course of treatment. It also enables clinicians to
track and adjust for tumor motion caused by the patient's
breathing during treatment sessions.
Prior to the advent of image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT),
radiation oncologists had to contend with variations in patient
positioning and with respiratory motion by treating a relatively
large margin of healthy tissue around the tumor. This increased
the risk of complications from the treatment and forced doctors
to use lower, less effective doses in their treatments. IGRT
enables doctors to minimize the volume of healthy tissue exposed
to the treatment beam, giving them the option of using higher
doses when the patient needs them.
Shandong Cancer Hospital is one of the leading cancer centers in
China, incorporating the country's largest radiotherapy
facility, which includes six linear accelerators. About 36,000
patients from across the East China region are treated at the
center each year.
Varian Medical Systems, the world leader in radiation therapy,
has sold nine On-Board Imager IGRT systems in mainland China to
date and the Shandong device is the first to enter clinical use.
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. In Europe, the
company operates manufacturing and engineering centers in Baden
(Switzerland), Crawley (England), Haan (Germany), Helsinki
(Finland) and Toulouse (France) and has headquarters for Europe,
Middle East, India and Africa (EMEA) based in Zug, Switzerland.
For more information, visit http://www.varian.com/.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release regarding future business,
events, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates, and other
similar matters, including, but not limited to, statements using
the terms "can" and "expect," constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements
contained in this press release are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited
to, the risks described in the company's Annual Report on Form
10-K and other reports filed from time to time by the Company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These
forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as
of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no
obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements
because of new information, future events, or otherwise. |
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