Varian to highlight new TrueBeam medical linear accelerator at ESTRO 2010

Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is spotlighting its new TrueBeam™ medical linear accelerator for fast, powerful and efficient cancer treatments at the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology exhibition in Barcelona next week. A fully-featured TrueBeam system will be the centerpiece of Varian's booth at the annual ESTRO meeting (Booth No. 320).

TrueBeam uses a multitude of technical innovations to dynamically synchronize imaging, patient positioning, motion management, and treatment delivery.  Designed to be a best-in-class and versatile platform, TrueBeam can be used for all forms of advanced external-beam radiotherapy including image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery (IGRT and IGRS), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and RapidArc® radiotherapy.  The product line includes TrueBeam STx, specially configured for advanced radiosurgery.

With its high intensity mode, TrueBeam can deliver doses at up to 2400 MU/min, more than twice as fast as any other machine for either radiotherapy or radiosurgery. Planning of such rapid treatments is fully supported in the latest version of Varian's Eclipse™ treatment planning system that will also be demonstrated on the Varian booth.

Also on display will be Varian's new Gated RapidArc capability, which enables the use of RapidArc technology in combination with respiratory gating – a process of turning the beam on and off in synchrony with the patient's breathing – during either radiotherapy or radiosurgery. This technology helps to improve the precision of treatment delivery by compensating for tumor motion. Gated RapidArc is available as an upgrade for Trilogy® and Clinac® iX accelerators.  

Varian's UNIQUE™ low energy medical linear accelerator for fast, affordable image-guided RapidArc IMRT treatments in international clinics, will also be on display on the Varian booth, along with the latest version of the company's ARIA® oncology information management software.

Varian's Particle Therapy group will be introducing its fully-integrated ProBeam™ proton therapy system at the show. The ProBeam system incorporates imaging, gating, robotic patient positioning, treatment planning and oncology information software to enhance treatment quality for patients and workflow efficiency for clinicians. Also on show will be the latest in Varian's range of brachytherapy afterloaders and software.

"Varian is at the forefront of technology advances that enable clinicians to benefit patients by delivering faster and more efficient treatments," says Rolf Staehelin, head of Varian's Oncology Systems marketing in Europe.  "With major introductions such as TrueBeam and Gated RapidArc and with a series of ancillary events that focus on the very latest in advanced radiotherapy treatment capabilities, we are looking forward to sharing our excitement about these developments with the radiation oncology community. All the innovations on display at ESTRO are clinically-viable and commercially available today."  

TrueBeam Spotlighted in Series of ESTRO Events

The world's first TrueBeam treatment took place at Zurich University Hospital in Switzerland in April and Professor Urs Luetolf, the hospital's head of radiation oncology, will be presenting his team's latest results at an Emerging Technologies Symposium at ESTRO on September 14th Professor Ben Slotman of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands, will also be presenting, while Professor John Adler, Varian's chief of new clinical applications, will talk about 'The Future of Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy'.

Another highlight at ESTRO 2010 will be a TrueBeam Technologies Night at the Institut Catala d'Oncologia (ICO) in Barcelona, one of the first ten centers in Europe to be equipped with a TrueBeam system.  The device is currently being installed at ICO and will be clinical later this year. Professor Ferran Guedea, head of radiation oncology at ICO, will act as moderator at the Emerging Technologies Symposium.