Convention Wrap Up
For more detailed information on products at ASTRO, go to www.healthimaging.com/archives_newsletter.htm
and select the October 7, 2004 issue of Health Imaging News.
Varian Medical Systems Inc. unveiled the Clinac iX linear accelerator. Varian touted that the technology can be easily installed, customized, configured, and upgraded to support radiotherapy treatments such as conventional 2D and 3D, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
In addition, Varian revealed that it has added two new clinical management tools - clinical assessment and dynamic documents - to its VARiS Vision radiation oncology management software. The modules help cancer centers accelerate the adoption of paperless and filmless technologies, as well as streamline the clinical processes involved in treating cancer.
Siemens Medical Solutions unveiled Artiste, an integrated system for dose-guided radiation therapy (DGRT) that uses the company's In-Line technology.
According to Siemens, DGRT, which relies upon information about the tumor shape in order to adapt the treatment, has the potential to advance treatment capabilities beyond image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). While current IGRT systems concentrate on accurate treatment delivery based upon tumor position, DGRT introduces the consideration of anatomy and dosimetric changes into the treatment protocol, Siemens said.
Siemens also showcased its Somatom Sensation Open CT for radiation therapy planning and other CT applications where patient accessibility is required.
GE Healthcare exhibited its Advantage 4D gating technology used with multislice CT and PET/CT to analyze respiration-induced motion in the lung, breast and other cancers.
Advantage 4D technology analyzes respiration motion using data acquired by the Varian Medical Systems' RPM (respiratory gating system) and imaging data acquired by GE's Discovery ST PET/CT scanner or Lightspeed RT wide-bore multislice CT scanner.
IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. launched Analytiq and Mosaiq. Mosaiq is IMPAC's next-generation image-enabled oncology electronic medical record (EMR) that provides process management for cancer care.
Analytiq is IMPAC's new line of data aggregation, analysis, and reporting tools. The introductory module of the Analytiq line is Analytiq Practice, a set of visualizations that extract financial and utilization data from IMPAC's practice management system.
Elekta Inc. showcased Synergy, its radiation treatment system equipped with an integrated 3D volume imaging system.
Elekta Synergy enables doctors to obtain images of patients at the time of treatment, to more precisely target tumors with radiation treatment beams.
Elekta also showed off its next generation of stereotactic radiation therapy, Elekta Synergy S, as a works in progress. With Elekta Synergy and Elekta Synergy S, clinicians can visualize the target at the time and point of treatment, thereby sparing healthy tissue while using a higher dose to achieve optimum results, Elekta said.
Philips Medical Solutions introduced its Brilliance CT Big Bore configuration designed specifically for radiation oncology. The system's design includes an 85-cm bore and 60-cm scan field of view. This allows physicians to better target the localization and size of tumors, Philips said.
Philips also showcased at ASTRO several product upgrades, including Pinnacle3 7.4 and AcQSim3 Phase II, software designed to improve accuracy and workflow for radiation oncology.
Agfa HealthCare highlighted its new dedicated CR (computed radiography) radiotherapy system consisting of the newly released CR 25.0 reader, the CR QS Workstation, high dose and low dose portal imaging as well as simulation plates and cassettes. The system is pending FDA 510k approval and may be available by the end of the year.
Nucletron B.V. released a new inverse planning module for its SPOT PRO treatment planning system for permanent seed implants via 3D ultrasound.
The company also released OncoSystem Breast, a kit for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).
The American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel also has approved a CPT code for the implantation of Nucletron's Comfort Catheter System for patients who are candidates for breast conserving cancer treatment. Nucletron debuted the Comfort Catheter system, which is marketed under the OncoSmart brand, at the show.
Radiation treatment software and hardware provider CMS Inc. unveiled CMS Broadband, a technology that allows clinicians to plan treatments - contour, place beams, change leaf positions, review and approve plans - remotely. XiO plans and Focal files can be accessed through any PC with high-speed internet access, CMS said.
CMS also highlighted Certis, a new system that provides secure, long-term patient treatment data storage with centralized and protected critical information in patient, machine and system files.
CMS also released Focal 4.2 CT software. The software now features 3D contouring so clinicians can contour a treatment image from any plane and with greater image clarity. The software is DICOM compatible and works with any other planning system, in multiple hospital environments.
Eastman Kodak Co.'s Health Imaging Group unveiled enhancements to the Kodak 2000RT CR (computed radiography) Plus System for oncology imaging. Upgrades include new features to simplify operator interface commands and improve productivity.
Acceletronics will begin marketing in the United States Kodak's 2000RT CR Plus System.
e2v technologies showcased TomoTherapy Inc.'s Hi-Art radiotherapy system bundled with its compact modulator. The radiofrequency (RF) system consists of a three-phase power supply, a control system, a magnetron with electromagnet, a microwave launching system and e2v's compact modulator. The modulator is a high voltage, direct switching unit specially designed for linear accelerator machine use, said e2v.
and select the October 7, 2004 issue of Health Imaging News.
Varian Medical Systems Inc. unveiled the Clinac iX linear accelerator. Varian touted that the technology can be easily installed, customized, configured, and upgraded to support radiotherapy treatments such as conventional 2D and 3D, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
In addition, Varian revealed that it has added two new clinical management tools - clinical assessment and dynamic documents - to its VARiS Vision radiation oncology management software. The modules help cancer centers accelerate the adoption of paperless and filmless technologies, as well as streamline the clinical processes involved in treating cancer.
Siemens Medical Solutions unveiled Artiste, an integrated system for dose-guided radiation therapy (DGRT) that uses the company's In-Line technology.
According to Siemens, DGRT, which relies upon information about the tumor shape in order to adapt the treatment, has the potential to advance treatment capabilities beyond image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). While current IGRT systems concentrate on accurate treatment delivery based upon tumor position, DGRT introduces the consideration of anatomy and dosimetric changes into the treatment protocol, Siemens said.
Siemens also showcased its Somatom Sensation Open CT for radiation therapy planning and other CT applications where patient accessibility is required.
GE Healthcare exhibited its Advantage 4D gating technology used with multislice CT and PET/CT to analyze respiration-induced motion in the lung, breast and other cancers.
Advantage 4D technology analyzes respiration motion using data acquired by the Varian Medical Systems' RPM (respiratory gating system) and imaging data acquired by GE's Discovery ST PET/CT scanner or Lightspeed RT wide-bore multislice CT scanner.
IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. launched Analytiq and Mosaiq. Mosaiq is IMPAC's next-generation image-enabled oncology electronic medical record (EMR) that provides process management for cancer care.
Analytiq is IMPAC's new line of data aggregation, analysis, and reporting tools. The introductory module of the Analytiq line is Analytiq Practice, a set of visualizations that extract financial and utilization data from IMPAC's practice management system.
Elekta Inc. showcased Synergy, its radiation treatment system equipped with an integrated 3D volume imaging system.
Elekta Synergy enables doctors to obtain images of patients at the time of treatment, to more precisely target tumors with radiation treatment beams.
Elekta also showed off its next generation of stereotactic radiation therapy, Elekta Synergy S, as a works in progress. With Elekta Synergy and Elekta Synergy S, clinicians can visualize the target at the time and point of treatment, thereby sparing healthy tissue while using a higher dose to achieve optimum results, Elekta said.
Philips Medical Solutions introduced its Brilliance CT Big Bore configuration designed specifically for radiation oncology. The system's design includes an 85-cm bore and 60-cm scan field of view. This allows physicians to better target the localization and size of tumors, Philips said.
Philips also showcased at ASTRO several product upgrades, including Pinnacle3 7.4 and AcQSim3 Phase II, software designed to improve accuracy and workflow for radiation oncology.
Agfa HealthCare highlighted its new dedicated CR (computed radiography) radiotherapy system consisting of the newly released CR 25.0 reader, the CR QS Workstation, high dose and low dose portal imaging as well as simulation plates and cassettes. The system is pending FDA 510k approval and may be available by the end of the year.
Nucletron B.V. released a new inverse planning module for its SPOT PRO treatment planning system for permanent seed implants via 3D ultrasound.
The company also released OncoSystem Breast, a kit for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI).
The American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel also has approved a CPT code for the implantation of Nucletron's Comfort Catheter System for patients who are candidates for breast conserving cancer treatment. Nucletron debuted the Comfort Catheter system, which is marketed under the OncoSmart brand, at the show.
Radiation treatment software and hardware provider CMS Inc. unveiled CMS Broadband, a technology that allows clinicians to plan treatments - contour, place beams, change leaf positions, review and approve plans - remotely. XiO plans and Focal files can be accessed through any PC with high-speed internet access, CMS said.
CMS also highlighted Certis, a new system that provides secure, long-term patient treatment data storage with centralized and protected critical information in patient, machine and system files.
CMS also released Focal 4.2 CT software. The software now features 3D contouring so clinicians can contour a treatment image from any plane and with greater image clarity. The software is DICOM compatible and works with any other planning system, in multiple hospital environments.
Eastman Kodak Co.'s Health Imaging Group unveiled enhancements to the Kodak 2000RT CR (computed radiography) Plus System for oncology imaging. Upgrades include new features to simplify operator interface commands and improve productivity.
Acceletronics will begin marketing in the United States Kodak's 2000RT CR Plus System.
e2v technologies showcased TomoTherapy Inc.'s Hi-Art radiotherapy system bundled with its compact modulator. The radiofrequency (RF) system consists of a three-phase power supply, a control system, a magnetron with electromagnet, a microwave launching system and e2v's compact modulator. The modulator is a high voltage, direct switching unit specially designed for linear accelerator machine use, said e2v.