ELEKTA ANNOUNCES NEXT-GENERATION RADIATION TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AT ESTRO 27

The new systems and solutions showcased by Elekta includes;

• Monaco, a next-generation inverse treatment planning system developed by CMS, part of the Elekta Group, which is now being expanded to include support for Elekta VMAT (Volumetric intensity Modulated Arc Therapy)

• Four-dimensional Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) on the Elekta Synergy® linear accelerator system.

• Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ and the EXTEND™ Program for fractionation support in Gamma Knife surgery.

Monaco VMAT Planning

Elekta has significantly advanced the field of radiation oncology by dramatically improving on existing IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) techniques with Elekta VMAT. So far, the clinical benefits of IMRT have been tempered by an appreciation of the time it takes to execute highly conformal, organ-sparing, dose-efficient and optimally therapeutic IMRT plans. Elekta VMAT (Volumetric intensity Modulated Arc Therapy) overcomes these limitations and has the unique ability to use single or multiple gantry arcs that sweep non-stop over the target isocenter, while simultaneously controlling gantry speed, multileaf collimator leaves, dose rate and collimator angle. Elekta VMAT promises highly conformal, yet dramatically shorter treatments – as short as 90 seconds.

The VMAT Planning support on Monaco will represent a fundamentally new approach to IMRT. The new system, featuring biological modeling, constrained optimization, and Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithms, including a unique and sophisticated set of tools will make the radiotherapy planning process easier, more straightforward and clinically reliable.

4D IGRT on Elekta Synergy®

At ESTRO 27, Elekta is also offering a preview of the recent innovations adding to the capabilities of the Elekta Synergy® system for Image Guided Radiation Therapy.

In collaboration with clinical partners, Elekta has developed an innovative and patented 4DCT (computer tomography) technique to manage the motion for lung and other tumors inclined to move during treatment.

Used at the time of treatment, this 4D image guided (with time as the fourth dimension) process adds a ‘time-lapse’ picture to existing 3D volumetric imaging, producing 3D images that move and adjust over time. This can be used to register the movement of a tumor during, for example, the respiratory cycle and eliminate both set-up errors and baseline shifts in the tumor position and thereby reduce the volume of lung irradiated.

Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ and the EXTEND™ Program

EXTEND™ is a new treatment program that lets radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons apply the power of the world famous Leksell Gamma Knife® to fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

With its new re-locatable frame, EXTEND offers maximum stability, enabling the most accurate, non-invasive localization available and now allows clinicians to explore the possibility to treat large or critically located targets in the head and neck that were previously untreatable with Gamma Knife® surgery.

EXTEND is a bridge between the pin-point accuracy of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion and the treatment and fixation options commonly used in radiation oncology, providing an exciting cross-over solution for neuro-oncology.

Regulatory status of products: This press release presents systems and functionality showcased by Elekta at ESTRO 27. Certain products or functionality described may be works in progress or pending regulatory approval for certain markets.