Henry Ford is the second center in the world, along with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and first in Michigan to order ViewRay's MRIdian Linac research system.

Nearly two-thirds of all treated cancer patients in the United States will receive some form of radiation therapy during the course of their illness, according to estimates by the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Precision delivery of radiation therapy is a challenge because tumors and internal organs continually move during treatment. MRI-guidance improves the ability to aim radiation therapy directly at tumors, while avoiding surrounding tissues.

ViewRay has patented innovative solutions that enable the integration of MRI-guidance with a precise linear accelerator for radiation delivery.

This breakthrough Linac technology, which is available for non-clinical research use only at this time, is being developed to fit into standard radiation vaults and deliver the highest quality of treatment combined with real-time MRI guidance.   

"We see a lot of value in ViewRay's linac-based technology," said Dr. Benjamin Movsas, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Health System. "We are very excited and honored to be taking a leadership role in the assessment of this next-generation technology, as part of our efforts to continually bring the best care to our patients with cancer."

"The Radiation Department at Henry Ford has helped pioneer the field of stereotactic (millimeter focused) radiation and looks forward to developing this novel technology from ViewRay to further enhance this strategy in the future," said Dr. John Popovich, President and CEO of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 

"This kind of innovation to enhance patient care is exactly what Henry Ford Health System is all about," said Dr. William Conway, CEO of the Henry Ford Medical Group.

"Henry Ford is nationally recognized for its clinical excellence and innovations in cancer care," said Chris Raanes, president and CEO of ViewRay. "We're so pleased to partner with them in the development and testing of the MRIdian Linac technology."