Royal Oak, Michigan, October
30, 2007
Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak (Royal Oak, Michigan, USA) has
performed its first treatments using the new Elekta Axesse™, the
ultimate whole-body cancer treatment system. Elekta Axesse sets
new standards for precision and therapeutic efficacy in
stereotactic radiation therapy, which involves three-dimensional
CT imaging for tumor targeting accuracy.
Since 2006, Beaumont Hospital has been running a successful
intracranial radiosurgery program with Leksell Gamma Knife, and
the hospital now is expanding its stereotactic treatment
offerings to all parts of the anatomy.
“We chose Elekta Axesse because of its versatility,” says Alvaro
Martinez, M.D., F.A.C.R., corporate chairman, Radiation
Oncology, Beaumont Hospitals. “We now can stereotactically treat
both intra- and extra-cranial lesions, and the 6D
robotically-controlled tabletop gives us the freedom to position
the patient at virtually any angle. This enables a much more
accurate and precise treatment for these lesions than we could
provide in the past.”
Integrating advanced technology and software to elevate the
patient experience, streamline clinician workflow
The advanced 3D imaging capabilities of Elekta Axesse facilitate
rapid, precise targeting of tumors, and the highly-conformal
radiation delivery system effectively treats tumors while
minimizing damage to patients’ healthy tissue.
“Elekta Axesse enables us to attain sub-millimeter accuracy by
planning in 3D and imaging patients in 3D prior to treatment,
every day,” says Dr. Martinez.
Elekta Axesse also integrates non-invasive patient
immobilization to ensure patients properly are positioned prior
to treatment. Working together, these advanced technologies can
mean fewer trips to the hospital for patients and less physical,
mental and emotional strain.
In addition, by marrying advanced technology with sophisticated
software—including one unified display monitor with treatment
planning, electronic medical record (EMR) technology, and system
controls—Elekta Axesse smoothes the radiation therapist’s
workflow so patients are often finished with their treatments
more quickly.
Shortened treatment times for many tumor sites
throughout the body
The first patient treated on September 10 with Elekta Axesse
underwent radiation therapy for breast cancer. “The patient
required extremely precise and accurate treatment twice per day
for one week,” says Dr. Martinez. “That’s a significantly
shorter time period than the traditional seven weeks for this
type of case.”
The Elekta Axesse at Beaumont is now in routine clinical use for
lung and spinal radiosurgery, as well as for other clinical
sites requiring high accuracy and precision. “We have treated a
patient who has recurrent cancer around the spinal cord,” says
Dr. Martinez. “Elekta Axesse is the only possible treatment
option remaining for the patient to prevent damage to the spinal
cord that could leave the patient paralyzed.”
A third patient has metastases in the adrenal gland. Elekta
Axesse can treat the adrenal gland without harming the kidney,
small bowel or spinal cord.”
Elekta Axesse also is designed for treatment of prostate cancer.
“We now have robotic control to target the radiation more
accurately to the prostate,” says Dr. Martinez.
Elekta Axesse has performed well thus far in all treatments, he
adds, with an accuracy of within one millimeter.
Elekta Axesse provides complete clinical solutions
The innovative new Elekta Axesse provides the world’s most
complete portfolio of stereotactic, image-guided treatment
solutions with a powerful combination of accuracy, flexibility
and dose control. Dr. Frank Vicini, M.D., chief of Oncology,
Beaumont Cancer Institute, Beaumont Hospitals, says the
three-dimensional kV volumetric imaging greatly improves the
accuracy of tumor targeting. “Elekta Axesse is highly accurate
because the real-time imager enables us to adjust, at the time
of treatment, the shape and intensity of the radiation
delivered.”
Flexibility is vital to any successful radiation treatment, says
Dr. Vicini. Elekta Axesse allows for multiple energy options and
beam shaping options for efficient dose delivery and optimal
target conformality, so healthy tissue is spared. “Quite simply,
Elekta Axesse offers better cancer control and fewer side
effects,” Dr. Vicini says.
A history of technological collaboration
Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak physicians have a nearly 20-year
history of partnering with the Elekta R&D team. The hospital has
made vital contributions to the development of pioneering 3D
imaging and treatment technology. “We have done research
together that has contributed to the development of Elekta
Synergy® and Elekta Axesse, and we continue to be strong
partners in advancing treatment for patients,” Dr. Martinez
says.
About Elekta
Elekta is an international medical-technology group, providing
advanced clinical solutions, comprehensive patient information
management systems and services for improved cancer care and
management of brain disorders. All of Elekta’s solutions employ
non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques and are therefore
clinically effective, gentle on the patient and cost-effective.
Clinical, treatment, and information system solutions include,
among others, Leksell Gamma Knife® for non-invasive treatment of
brain disorders, Elekta Axesse™ for stereotactic radiation
therapy and radiosurgery and Elekta Synergy® for intensity
modulated and image guided radiation therapy (IMRT and IGRT).
Together with IMPAC Medical Systems, an Elekta company, the
Elekta Group also is the world’s largest supplier of oncology
software, including MOSAIQ™ and SYNERGISTIQ™ for efficient
management of clinical and patient data.
Elekta’s systems and solutions are used in more than 4,500
hospitals around the world. Corporate headquarters are located
in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Nordic
Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. More information can be found
at www.elekta.com. |
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Media Inquiries:
Michelle Lee
PR and Advertising Manager
Tel: +1 770-670-2447
michelle.lee@elekta.com
Global Marketing inquiries: Peter Gaccione
Vice President,
Global Marketing
Tel: +1 770-670-2380
peter.gaccione@elekta.com
Investor inquiries:
Peter Ejemyr
Group VP,
Corporate Communications, Tel: +46 733 611 000
peter.ejemyr@elekta.com
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