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The new Elekta Synergy systems will provide expanded capacity for advancedImage Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), which Mary Bird Perkins (MBP) beganproviding to patients four years ago. The new systems will provide for MBP'scurrent locations as well as the organization's long-term regional growth intonew markets. MBP has locations in Baton Rouge, Hammond and Covington and isbuilding a fourth location in Gonzales, LA.
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Each of the estimated nine new treatment systems will include 3D X-rayVolume Imaging (XVI) and some will include ElektaVMAT Volumetric intensityModulated Arc Therapy, enhancing MBP's Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy(IMRT) and IGRT arsenal.
"We feel that Elekta is 'first class in its field' and provides dynamic,practical and reliable treatment options," said Todd D. Stevens, President andCEO, MBP. Every cancer case is unique and personal, and Mary Bird Perkinsmakes sure that it has the best radiation therapy options available to ourtreatment team so every cancer patient has individualized, optimal treatment."
The Center will be treating all types of cancer with the Elekta Synergysystems, from simple to the most complex cases. Elekta Synergy is afully-digital linear accelerator with an integrated 3D imaging system thatsimultaneously acquires and reconstructs image data on the target andsurrounding critical structures as a whole volume in a single gantry sweep.Because imaging occurs at the time of treatment, uncertainties due to organmotion or deformation and slight differences in patient set-up can beeliminated.
In its search for the best solution for patient care, Mary Bird Perkinsdiligently analyzed all proposals and mobilized a team of expert physicians,medical physicists, dosimetrists and radiation therapists to thoroughlyresearch and review all options. "Elekta won a very competitive award, and wechose them because they offered a better solution for our patients," saidDr. Kenneth Hogstrom, chief of physics, MBP.
Joseph K. Jachinowski, President and CEO of Elekta North America stated:"We are extremely pleased to be able to supply our treatment delivery devicesto Mary Bird Perkins. They have been a long time user of our ElectronicMedical Record (EMR) system and the combination of adding Elekta Synergytreatment systems with the EMR will further enhance the integration of thedelivery of cancer care benefiting patients across Mary Bird Perkins' networkof facilities."
VMAT with Elekta Synergy
MBP makes it a priority to always be a pioneering user of new technologiesthat will improve patient outcomes. Elekta Synergy will enable the institutionto implement Elekta VMAT* (Volumetric intensity Modulated Arc Therapy). Thismajor advancement in radiation therapy surpasses traditional IMRT techniquesby dramatically decreasing treatment times and providing highly conformalradiation dose distributions.
"In many cases, we feel Elekta VMAT will allow us to produce plans thatare superior to those using conventional gantry-static IMRT deliveries," saysDr. John Gibbons, chief of clinical physics, MBP. "We look forward to helpingElekta deploy the application of VMAT technology for the benefit of cancerpatients in Louisiana."
Elekta's VMAT solution will vary the monitor units (MU) per degree andbeam intensities "on the fly" by simultaneously manipulating gantry positionand speed, MLC leaves, dose rate, collimator angle and back-up diaphragms, allwhile the treatment beam is on. Additionally, where IMRT plans consist ofseveral fields, or control points, the VMAT technique effectively has anunlimited number of fields.
Elekta believes VMAT's s
