ELEKTA RECEIVES AN ORDER TO DELIVER COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF ADVANCED CANCER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO NEW CENTER IN SYDNEY INCLUDING THE FIRST LEKSELL GAMMA KNIFE® TO BE INSTALLED IN AUSTRALIA
Stockholm, Sweden, May 2, 2008
In a collaborative effort, Macquarie University, incorporating The Australian School of Advanced Medicine, together with Dalcross Private Hospital has launched an ambitious project to improve access to advanced radiosurgery and radiation therapy for patients in Sydney and across Australia’s New South Wales region. The medical technology group Elekta, based in Stockholm, Sweden, has been selected as the main provider of a comprehensive suite of cancer and neurosurgical treatment solutions and supporting IT systems to the new Macquarie University Private Hospital, currently under construction.
The Dalcross Private Hospital currently operates a facility that specializes in ophthalmology, neurosurgery, vascular surgery and ear nose and throat surgery. From mid 2009, Dalcross Hospital will also operate The Macquarie University Private Hospital, a joint venture with Macquarie University and its Australian School of Advanced Medicine, and which is currently being built on the university grounds. The center aims at improving both access and quality of radiation therapy and radiosurgery services in the Sydney area.
“Technology for treating tumors and other disorders both in the brain and the body has advanced tremendously in recent years and there are many different systems on the market. After a thorough evaluation of several options, we chose dedicated radiosurgery and radiation therapy systems from Elekta, which will allow us to offer the most advanced treatments available to patients from Sydney and indeed all across Australia”, explains Carl Adams, CEO of Dalcross Private Hospital. “With both leading edge technology and workflow-supporting information management software, we will be able to create a department with seamless integration of the different treatment solutions provided by Elekta.”
Included in the project, Elekta will deliver the Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ for non-invasive radiosurgery, Elekta Synergy digital linear accelerator systems for intensity modulated and image guided radiation therapy, the MOSAIQ information management system, MOSAIQ RTP and ERGO++ for radiation treatment planning as well as Elekta’s 3mm micro-MLC for ultra precise radiation therapy.
Through the installation of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, the Macquarie University Private Hospital will be the first center in Australia to offer Gamma Knife® surgery, a non-invasive, single fraction treatment option for patients suffering from benign and malignant brain tumors including metastatic tumors, vascular malformations as well as certain functional disorders. Gamma Knife surgery is a very well-documented method, performed at hundreds of centers around the world. The entire procedure is performed in a few hours and patients can normally return to their daily routines on the same or the following day. So far, almost 500.000 patients have undergone Gamma Knife surgery since the method was introduced in the 1980’s.
“As a specialist in cerebrovascular neurosurgery, I am particularly pleased that we will be able to install the first Leksell Gamma Knife in Australia and thus be able to offer a non-invasive alternative for patients with vascular malformations, tumors and other brain disorders”, says Professor Michael Morgan, Dean of the Australian School of Advanced Medicine at Macquarie University. “We are also excited about the prospect to partner with Elekta in both the development of our education a as well as various research programs.”
“This project is certainly a milestone in the development of radiation therapy and radiosurgery in Australia. At Elekta, we are proud to be chosen as a partner and are looking forward to contribute both to patients receiving the best available care and to the research programs at Macquarie University”, says Brendan Vahey, Managing Director of Elekta Australia.