PEORIA, Ill., May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists at the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Illinois Neurological Institute here are collaborating to treat patients with metastatic tumors of the brain and spine, as well as malignancies in the prostate, lung, and liver with image-guided radiosurgery using the new Trilogy™ linear accelerator from Varian Medical Systems. The Trilogy machine and associated image-guidance accessories were designed for optimum versatility, enabling clinicians in oncology and neurology to deliver ultra-precise non-invasive treatments for a broad spectrum of disorders.
"Trilogy is the first practical, clinically-viable device for delivering all forms of external beam radiotherapy, so it is ideal for treatment centers that offer patients radiation therapy for cancer as well as radiosurgery for neurological disorders," said Dow Wilson, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. "This is a cost-effective solution that takes the place of two separate, expensive machines and raises the standard of care for both medical specialties."
The Trilogy device delivers radiosurgery beams with sub-millimeter accuracy. This makes it optimal for treating lesions that are very close to critical structures, or in areas that have already received prior treatment. "In one case, we treated a tumor that surrounded a patient's optic chiasm, and were able to preserve her vision in that eye," commented Dr. James McGee, medical director of radiation oncology. "In other cases, Trilogy helps us ensure that we are not delivering additional dose to previously-treated areas."
Another major advantage of the Trilogy device is its power, which translates into more rapid treatments. "With Trilogy, we can deliver radiosurgery treatment very quickly," McGee said. "The Trilogy accelerator delivers the radiation dose rapidly at 1000 monitor units per minute -- 2-3 times faster than competing technologies, and speed, in these cases, is crucial. When patients are immobilized, even non-invasive positioning devices aren't always comfortable. The Trilogy allows efficient patient set-up and rapid treatment delivery, which contribute greatly to improved patient comfort, and reduced patient motion." Studies also show that radiation therapy is more effective when doses are delivered rapidly.
Trilogy is a high-powered medical linear accelerator that rotates around the patient to deliver radiosurgery beams from nearly any angle. A choice of beam shaping devices can be used to focus the treatment beam on the tumor or lesion very precisely while minimizing the exposure of surrounding normal tissues and organs. The Trilogy system at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is also equipped with an X-ray imaging device for fast, accurate, real-time tumor tracking and automated patient positioning.
Patrick Elwood, MD, Director of the Illinois Neurological Institute and Professor of Neurosurgery for the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine at Peoria, appreciates the versatility of the system. "We have the option of using dynamic collimation to deliver intensity-modulated radiosurgery," he said. "That means we can treat larger and irregularly-shaped volumes that are difficult to treat using other types of beam-shaping technology. We can treat large or small lesions virtually anywhere in the brain, head, or body. Trilogy offers us a level of clinical flexibility that is unmatched."
ABOUT VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California is the world's leading manufacturer of medical technology for treating cancer with radiotherapy and neurological conditions with radiosurgery. The company is also a premier supplier of X- ray tubes and flat-panel digital subsystems for imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 3,600 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 56 sales and support offices around the world. Additional information is available on the company's web site at 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 "will," "can," and "possible" 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.
CONTACT: Spencer Sias, +1-650-424-5782, or spencer.sias@varian.com, or Meryl Ginsberg, +1-650-424-6444, or meryl.ginsberg@varian.com, both of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
SOURCE: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
CONTACT: Spencer Sias, +1-650-424-5782, or spencer.sias@varian.com, or
Meryl Ginsberg, +1-650-424-6444, or meryl.ginsberg@varian.com, both of Varian
Medical Systems, Inc.
Web site: http://www.varian.com/