Elekta Installs Equipment for Radiation Treatment of Cancer With IMRT At the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden.Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers STOCKHOLM--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 6, 2002 Elekta (STHLM STHLM Stockholm :EKTA.B) today announced that on Friday, February 1, 2002, a new linear accelerator linear accelerator: see particle accelerator. linear accelerator or linac Type of particle accelerator that imparts a series of relatively small increases in energy to subatomic particles as they pass through a sequence of from the Company was inaugurated by the oncology oncology /on·col·o·gy/ (ong-kol´ah-je) the sum of knowledge regarding tumors; the study of tumors. on·col·o·gy n. clinic in the radiation treatment department at the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden. The new unit, Elekta Precise, is the first at the hospital to offer intensity modulated mod·u·late v. mod·u·lat·ed, mod·u·lat·ing, mod·u·lates v.tr. 1. To adjust or adapt to a certain proportion; regulate or temper. 2. radiotherapy radiotherapy /ra·dio·ther·a·py/ (-ther´ah-pe) treatment of disease by means of ionizing radiation; tissue may be exposed to a beam of radiation, or a radioactive element may be contained in devices (e.g. (IMRT IMRT Intensity-modulated radiation therapy Radiation oncology A format for delivering high-dose RT to regions–eg, nasopharynx, that are surrounded by radiation-sensitive areas; in IMRT, a broad radiation field is divided into hundreds of small pencil beams, ), the latest technology for radiotherapy of cancer. The development of treatment methods for cancer is focusing on high-precision radiation treatment. IMRT enables the radiation dose to be adapted to the tumor's shape and specific radiation sensitivity with high precision. IMRT also reduces the risk of damage to healthy tissue. The patient's treatment result and quality of life is thereby enhanced. "We are particularly pleased to have the opportunity to supply the University Hospital with the latest technology in the radiation treatment of cancer," says Rolf Kjellstrom, head of Elekta's sales team in Scandinavia. "The University Hospital has a long tradition of developing new treatment methods, and Elekta's mission is to supply the healthcare sector with clinically effective and cost-efficient systems for, among other applications, radiotherapy of cancer," continues Rolf Kjellstrom. "The performance of the new equipment from Elekta is well suited to the research profile we have at the University Hospital," says Goran Rikner, Chief Physicist in the Department of Hospital Physics at the University Hospital. "Previously, we could only simulate certain treatments using advanced software. Now, later this spring, we can implement these therapies with the new installation," adds Goran Rikner. Radiotherapy is currently the most common and most cost-efficient method for treating cancer. Every second cancer patient today is receiving radiotherapy, at time combined with surgery or chemotherapy. The significance of this form of therapy will increase when the development of precision radiation technologies, such as IMRT, become more common. Elekta's Swedish market in the radiotherapy of cancer has grown during the past few years. Both the Malaren Hospital in Eskilstuna, south of Stockholm, and the newly established radiation treatment department at the County Hospital in Sundsvall, central Sweden, recently installed Elekta Precise units. Elekta is the world's second largest and Europe's largest supplier of advanced radiation treatment equipment for cancer. Elekta is a world-leading supplier of advanced and innovative radiation oncology radiation oncology n. The branch of radiology that deals with the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancers. radiation oncology and neurosurgery neurosurgery /neu·ro·sur·gery/ (noor´o-sur?jer-e) surgery of the nervous system. neu·ro·sur·ger·y n. Surgery on any part of the nervous system. solutions and services for precise treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Elekta's solutions are clinically effective, cost efficient and gentle to the patient. Additional information about Elekta is available at www.elekta.com. |
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