First CyberKnife System To Be Installed In Canada
Sunnyvale, CA - Accuray Incorporated recently announced that Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) has purchased a CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System for installation at Hopital Notre-Dame du CHUM, in Montreal, Canada. CHUM, one of the largest radiation oncology centers in Canada, will utilize the CyberKnife System to treat both intracranial and extracranial tumors including those in the lung, spine and prostate.
CHUM is one of the leading academic sites in North America for the number of accruals for protocols developed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) of the American College of Radiology (ACR), demonstrating the center's leadership in research and innovation.
"In addition to being an important purchase for the people of Canada, the addition of a CyberKnife System at CHUM provides an opportunity for continued research and clinical investigation," said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Accuray. "We are thrilled to be working with such a reputable teaching facility that's had continued success in accruing patients under protocol."
In Quebec, authorization is required from a regional authority to acquire certain medical technologies, such as imaging and radiation therapy. CHUM secured approval in May 2008 and plans to install its CyberKnife System by early 2009.
About CHUM
The Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal provides specialized and ultra-specialized services to a regional and supra-regional clientele. Within its more immediate coverage area, the CHUM also provides general and specialized hospital care and services. The CHUM uses an integrated network model to carry out its five-part mandate of care, teaching, research, the assessment of technologies and health care methodologies, and the promotion of health care. Through its determined efforts to continuously improve quality of care and patient safety, the CHUM has again received accreditation from the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, for the 2007-2010 period. Hotel-Dieu, Hopital Notre-Dame, and Hopital Saint-Luc make up the CHUM, with approximately 10,000 employees, 900 physicians, 270 researchers, 6,000 students and trainees and 700 volunteers providing services to over a million patients each year. www.chumontreal.qc.ca.
About the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System
The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the world's only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body non- invasively. Using continual image guidance technology and computer controlled robotic mobility, the CyberKnife System automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time throughout the treatment. This enables the CyberKnife System to deliver high-dose radiation with pinpoint precision, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue and eliminates the need for invasive head or body stabilization frames.
SOURCE: Accuray Incorporated