Elekta / Mitsubishi Electric Collaboration Helps Japan's Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center Launch Advanced Carbon Ion Therapy for Treating Cancer

GUNMA, Japan and ATLANTA, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Three years of teamwork between Elekta and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation came to fruition in March when Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center used carbon ion radiotherapy to treat a patient with prostate cancer. Elekta and Mitsubishi Electric worked to facilitate the use of Elekta's treatment planning software, XiO®, for delivery with Mitsubishi Electric's particle beam treatment system.

Compared to proton therapy, carbon ions are heavier and produce a much higher linear energy transfer. Because carbon ions can create a higher energy dose, this type of therapy is designed to be effective in treating select radio-resistant tumors.

Elekta teams in Japan and the United States (St. Louis) worked with Mitsubishi Electric to implement the NIRS (National Institute of Radiological Sciences) new dose calculation engine into Mitsubishi Electric's particle dose calculation server. This server was then interfaced with XiO by both teams.

"The addition of carbon ions to our treatment planning portfolio is a milestone for Elekta," says Roberto Pellegrini, Ph.D., director of treatment planning at Elekta. "It demonstrates our commitment to provide clinicians with the flexibility to integrate state-of-the-art planning capabilities across a wide range of radiation therapy delivery techniques."

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 and radiosurgery, 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, making the future possible today.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 5,000 hospitals globally, and every day more than 100,000 patients receive diagnosis, treatment or follow-up with the help of a solution from the Elekta Group.

Elekta employs around 2,500 employees globally. The corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. For more information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com.

SOURCE Elekta