Washington hospital selects Elekta Axesse for whole-body cancer treatment

Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, Wash., has purchased Elekta Axesse, adding a new system designed for imaging the entire body to its stable of cancer treatment systems.

According to Elekta, the 3D imaging capabilities of the Axesse system facilitate rapid, precise targeting of tumors, and the radiation delivery system treats tumors throughout the body, while minimizing exposure to nearby healthy tissue. The system enables sub-millimeter accuracy by planning in 3D and imaging patients in 3D prior to treatment.

Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center is a 17,000-square-foot facility, currently treating around 45 radiation patients during a 12-hour scheduling window. The center will take delivery of the Elekta Axesse in October, and begin treating patients shortly thereafter, Elekta said.

Around the web

RBMA President Peter Moffatt discusses declining reimbursement rates, recruiting challenges and the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the industry.

Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and principal investigator of the TRANSFORM trial, explains an emerging technique for cardiac screening: combining coronary CT angiography with artificial intelligence for plaque analysis to create an approach similar to mammography.

A total of 16 cardiology practices from 12 states settled with the DOJ to resolve allegations they overbilled Medicare for imaging agents used to diagnose cardiovascular disease.