RapidArc Cleared for Market
The RapidArc radiotherapy system, developed by Varian Medical Systems Incorporated, has been approved by the FDA. The company published a news release describing approval of the new technology.
Varian received two approvals from the FDA for the RapidArc system. One covered the treatment planning software module included in the company’s Eclipse treatment planning system and the other approved the treatment hardware components.
This new approach to the delivery of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) decreases the amount of time required to complete treatment delivery. The company further notes that treatment is more precise, reducing the amount of tissue that is exposed to non-therapeutic radiation.
The system utilizes a single rotation of the treatment machine to deliver patients’ therapy. Minimized treatment time is facilitated through the algorithm used. This modifies three different treatment parameters simultaneously: the rate of dose delivery, the dimensions of the aperture that shape the treatment beam, and the speed at which the machine rotates around the patient.
The system was previously described on HospitalBuyer following presentation of the system at the RSNA meeting. The company has commenced marketing efforts and expects to begin delivering it to customers in the early spring.
January 9, 2008 Related topics: Radiation Oncology, Product Approval & Certification