STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 19, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Japanese Ministry for Health, Labor and Welfare, MHLW, has given approval of Leksell Gamma Knife(r) 4C, the latest generation of Elekta's world leading technology for non-invasive intracranial radiosurgery.
Leksell Gamma Knife holds a strong position on the Japanese market. Following the regulatory approval from the Japanese authorities, Gamma Knife centers in Japan will be able to upgrade to the most advanced modality for treatment of brain tumors, vascular malformations and functional disorders.
"This approval is of great benefit to our customers in Japan, since many have been waiting to incorporate PET and MEG images into their treatments for some time now. Only Elekta can offer this type of seamless integration," said Motohiko Kimura, Elekta Marketing Manager in Japan.
Leksell Gamma Knife 4C
The new features in Leksell Gamma Knife 4C are designed to improve workflow, increase accuracy and provide integrated imaging capabilities. The integrated imaging, powered by Leksell GammaPlan(r) 4C with MultiView(tm), offers users an unprecedented ability to integrate images from multiple sources to achieve the most accurate treatment capability ever. Using Leksell Gamma Knife 4C, physicians can visualize and analyze the target in three dimensions and real time. The 4C version is already approved and sold in Europe and in the U.S.
Gamma Knife(r) surgery
Gamma Knife surgery is a non-invasive method for treating brain disorders, delivering a single, high dose of radiation to a small and critically located intracranial volume through the intact skull. After Gamma Knife(r) surgery, the patient normally leaves the hospital the same or the following day, making it a very cost effective alternative to open surgery.
Since its introduction, Leksell Gamma Knife has revolutionized the treatment of brain disorders. Today, this treatment is offered by hundreds of leading hospitals and clinics around the world. Over 40,000 patients undergo Gamma Knife(r) surgery every year, and this unique procedure has earned an outstanding scientific track record with thousands of peer reviewed articles on treatment efficacy, improved quality of life for patients and cost efficiency.
For further information, please contact:
International: Peter Ejemyr Group VP Corporate Communications, Elekta AB Tel: +46 733 611 000 e-mail: peter.ejemyr@elekta.com US: Lars Jonsteg VP Investor Relations North America Elekta, USA Tel: +46 708 78 37 35 e-mail: lars.jonsteg@elekta.com
About Elekta
Elekta is an international medical-technology Group, providing meaningful clinical solutions, comprehensive information systems and services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders. All of Elekta's solutions employ non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques and are therefore clinically effective, gentle on the patient and cost-effective.
Clinical solutions include among others Leksell Gamma Knife(r) for non-invasive treatment of brain surgery and Elekta Synergy(r) for image guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Following the acquisition of IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. in April 2005, The Elekta Group is the world's largest supplier of oncology software.
Elekta's systems and solutions are used at over 3,000 hospitals around the world to treat cancer and manage clinical operations as well as to diagnose and treat brain disorders, including tumors, vascular malformations and functional disorders.
With approx. 1700 employees, Elekta's corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange under the ticker EKTAb.
This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://wpy.waymaker.net/client/waymaker1/WOLReleaseFile.aspx?id=142137&fn=wkr0001.pdf PDF version
-0-