GHENT, Belgium, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ghent University Hospital in Belgium, among the first hospitals in the world to pioneer radiotherapy treatments using arc therapy, has carried out its first treatment using fast and efficient RapidArc radiotherapy technology from Varian Medical Systems . A 56-year-old male rectal carcinoma patient was treated in just 75 seconds, over four times faster than possible using conventional fixed-beam treatments.
"We are a busy university hospital and we are under constant strain to deliver advanced IMRT treatments within our standard 15 minutes treatments slots," he added. "With RapidArc, that will no longer be a problem as we will be able to offer advanced conformal treatments to more patients while reducing our treatment slot times."
Physicist Leen Paelinck said Eclipse(TM) treatment planning software was quick and simple to use, reducing the planning time substantially. "The planning process involves contouring, optimization, calculation and evaluation and Eclipse enables us to undertake this process more quickly than was previously possible," said Leen Paelinck.
"Ghent University Hospital is unique in its long experience in volumetric intensity modulated arc treatments and its adoption of RapidArc as the best solution for this patient and others is a significant step forward," says Vincent Ronfle, Varian's regional sales manager. "Such milestones are helpful in understanding the present and future applications of this technology in our efforts to improve treatments for patients."
Editorial contact: Neil Madle, Varian Medical Systems, +44 7786 526068
CONTACT: Neil Madle, Varian Medical Systems, +44 7786 526068
Web site: http://www.varian.com/
