Seattle's Swedish Cancer Institute Acquires Four Elekta Versa HD Radiation Therapy Systems

SEATTLE, July 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI, Seattle), a major cancer-care network in Washington state, recently announced the acquisition of four Versa HD™ systems, a sophisticated radiation treatment system designed to enhance the management of cancer care and treat a broad spectrum of tumors throughout the body. The most advanced linear accelerator on the market, Elekta's Versa HD is a single system capable of delivering conventional therapies for an expansive range of indications commonly seen in the clinic, while also permitting treatment of complex cancers that require exceptional targeting accuracy.

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The first of SCI's new Versa HD systems, which replaces a Varian linear accelerator, will be installed and clinically operational later this year at SCI's facility on the Swedish/Edmonds campus, which is in south Snohomish County about 20 miles north of Seattle.

"We're relying on these new systems to serve as the principal linear accelerators across our network, allowing us to treat all types of cancer more efficiently and accurately," says Vivek Mehta, M.D., director of SCI's Center for Advanced Targeted Radiotherapies. "At the same time, the advanced features of Versa HD – especially the ultra-conformal Agility™ radiation beam shaping and High Dose Rate mode – will bring state-of-the-art radiation therapy for our most challenging cases to SCI's network facilities throughout the Greater Puget Sound area."

SCI clinicians are looking forward, in particular, to using a package of enabling technologies for Versa HD treatment of the lung.

"Advanced motion management technologies are critical to facilitate highly accurate and potent stereotactic radiation therapy [SRT] for early stage, inoperable lung tumors," Dr. Mehta notes. "Versa HD integrates these technologies and other solutions – such as 4D image guidance, and sophisticated patient immobilization and treatment planning – into a specialized package for lung cancer. For the patient, it will mean a higher therapeutic dose of radiation to the lung tumor, with reduced exposure to nearby healthy tissues."

SCI uses radiation therapy to treat about 200 patients daily at seven of its 10 locations.

For more information, visit www.VersaHD.com.

Versa HD is not for sale or distribution in all markets.

For further information, please contact:
Johan Andersson, Director, Investor Relations, Elekta AB
Tel: +46 702 100 451, e-mail: [email protected]
Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Michelle Joiner, Director, Global Public Relations and Brand Management, Elekta
Tel: +1 770-670-2447, e-mail: [email protected]
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time

About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both healthcare providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,400 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. Website: www.elekta.com.

About Swedish Cancer Institute

The Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) opened in 1932 as the first dedicated cancer-care center west of the Mississippi River. It is the largest and most comprehensive cancer treatment program in the Pacific Northwest, caring for more people with more types of cancer than any other provider in the region. The Institute has a presence on all five of Swedish's hospital campuses – First Hill, Ballard, Cherry Hill, Edmonds and Issaquah. A true multidisciplinary institute, SCI offers a wide range of advanced cancer-treatment options in chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery – backed by extensive diagnostic capabilities, complementary therapies, patient education and support-group services. For more information, visit www.swedish.org/cancer.

SOURCE Elekta