BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Elekta is pleased to announce the development of a comprehensive solution for planning and performing Volumetric Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)*. The complete offering of Elekta VMAT solutions are being featured in the Elekta booth at this year’s European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncologists (ESTRO) meeting in Barcelona, September 8-13, 2007. Performing VMAT with Elekta enables helical- like conformality and can help reduce total treatment time even with daily use of Elekta’s proven X-ray Volume Imaging system.
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The Elekta solution begins with the next generation of the Desktop Pro(TM) control system, which allows any Elekta MLC-based delivery system to execute the VMAT treatment technique. The ERGO++ treatment planning system from Elekta was previously available for external small field multileaf collimators only, but will now be available for use on all Elekta delivery systems using dynamic multileaf collimation. The MOSAIQ(TM) electronic health record (EHR) system completes the system with features such as scheduling, billing, and management reporting and analysis.
Elekta VMAT provides highly conformal IMRT treatment in less time
VMAT solutions available from Elekta allow users to treat patients with an innovative technique that combines gantry rotation with dynamic multileaf collimation for highly conformal, intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The dose intensity is modulated by either a variable dose rate, a variable gantry speed or a combination of both. Yet another variation available to the user is dose delivery over a number of gantry arcs. Simultaneous dynamic control of all parameters is delivered, control point to control point.
Amanda Deighton, Product Manager of Radiotherapy Delivery Systems at Elekta, says, “Planning studies show that performing Volumetric Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy provides optimized efficiency and helical-like conformality in a shorter standard treatment delivery time than conventional IMRT, which increases patient throughput and patient tolerance. It can be used on any part of the anatomy, and unlike other systems that are limited to co-planar angles; the Elekta VMAT system enables the user to deliver extremely conformal treatment to tumors in all planes, while minimizing the dose to at- risk organs.”
While the IMAT technique has been investigated for clinical use in recent years as an alternative to Tomotherapy, Elekta has brought the process of Volumetric IMAT to fruition in one complete package. Deighton says, “Until now, the IMAT concept has been just that: a concept with some planning studies theorizing the benefits of IMAT to patients. Elekta was the first to market with the complete IMAT solution, now with Volumetric IMAT.” Clinical use is expected to begin in late 2007.
In addition to displays on Elekta VMAT technology at ESTRO, Elekta will unveil a new and innovative product to add to the Elekta family, and feature displays on the latest generation of Image Guided Radiation Therapy. A range of Medical Intelligence motion management solutions including patient positioning devices will be displayed at the Elekta booth.
* VMAT is a work in progress and currently not available for distribution.
About Elekta
Elekta is an international medical-technology Group, providing meaningful clinical solutions, comprehensive information systems and services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders. All of Elekta’s solutions employ non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques and are therefore clinically effective, gentle on the patient and cost-effective.
Clinical solutions include, among others, Leksell Gamma Knife(R) product line for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders, Elekta Axesse(TM) for Image guided Stereotactic treatments, and Elekta Synergy(R) for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Following the acquisition of IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. in April 2005, the Elekta Group became the world’s largest supplier of oncology software.
Elekta’s systems and solutions are used at over 4,000 hospitals around the world to treat cancer and manage clinical operations as well as to diagnose and treat brain disorders, including tumors, vascular malformations and functional disorders.
With approximately 2,000 employees, Elekta’s corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. For more information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com.
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CONTACT: Product inquiries, Peter J. Gaccione, Vice President, GlobalMarketing, Elekta, +1-770-670-2380 USA, +44-0-1293-65-8446 England,peter.gaccione@elekta.com; or Investor inquiries, Peter Ejemyr, Group VPCorporate Communications, Elekta AB, +46-733-611-000 Mobile,peter.ejemyr@elekta.com
Web site: http://www.elekta.com/
