New platform from Varian and BrainLAB, for treatment of head, neck and prostate cancer patients
The Slovenian Minister of Health has officially unveiled the nation’s first Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform from Varian Medical Systems and BrainLAB, for modern radiotherapy and radiosurgery at the Oncology Institute of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Varian said that the new treatment platform will give Slovenian cancer patients in the country’s only radiotherapy department access to advanced radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments, including Varian’s RapidArc technology.
Doctors at the hospital intend to begin RapidArc treatments on the Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform for patients with head, neck and prostate cancers, said the company.
The Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform features high dose delivery rates, which contributes to shorter treatment times. It also offers fine beam shaping and non-invasive, precise patient positioning for rapid and more comfortable treatments. Specialised X-ray imaging systems are used to pinpoint the target and position the patient with millimeter accuracy, compensating for any motion that occurs during a treatment.
Bozidar Casar, lead medical physicist, said: “With the new Novalis Tx radiosurgery platform, the clinic can complete complex radiosurgery by delivering more powerful doses to brain tumors or small metastatic lesions throughout the body in just one to five sessions. We’re able to use the radiation beam rather than a scalpel to remove disease without making a single incision. It’s faster and much easier on patients.”
Primoz Strojan, professor and head of the radiotherapy department, said: “All patients with cancer that need radiotherapy have to come to our hospital. With Novalis Tx and RapidArc technology we are gaining a powerful weapon in our fight against cancer which should have, among many other benefits, a positive influence on bringing down waiting lists.”