Varian Medical Systems Introduces New and Improved VariSeed(TM) 8.0 Software for Permanent Seed Prostate Brachytherapy Treatments

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems is introducing an updated version of its market-leading VariSeed(TM) brachytherapy seed planning software. VariSeed 8.0 incorporates several new features that allow greater visibility of the treatment.

"The new features provide even better visibility of the positions of individual seeds in permanent seed implants," says Rebecca Claydon, software product manager with Varian's Brachytherapy business unit. "Based on feedback from urologists, VariSeed 8.0 facilitates the planning of prostate seed brachytherapy treatments by biopsy section so that a localized boost may be delivered to a target region of the prostate."

VariSeed 8.0 offers brachytherapy physicists new and improved contouring tools, including the ability to contour in the sagittal and coronal planes. Contouring the urethra has been simplified by the introduction of the Structure sweep, which is also available in the VariSeed Implant View(TM) module for interactive seed placement and dosimetry.

Among the new features is a tool that creates a digital reconstruction of the CT image and makes it much simpler to define the seed placement. A typical permanent seed implant involves up to 120 radioactive seeds, each the size of a grain of rice.

There are more than 1,200 hospital sites worldwide using approximately 1,500 Varian VariSeed software systems for guiding the placement of permanent prostate seed implants in what is called Low Dose Rate (LDR) brachytherapy. Use of this technique alone or with external beam radiotherapy is increasing for patients, including about 60,000, or one third, of U.S. men who are diagnosed annually with prostate cancer.

Editorial contact: Neil Madle, Varian Medical Systems, +44 7786 526068, neil.madle@varian.com

About Varian Medical Systems

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is a premier supplier of tubes and digital detectors for X-ray imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications and also supplies X-ray imaging products for cargo screening and industrial inspection. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 4,400 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 56 sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com/.

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