October 26 1998  


 

PHOENIX, AR -- Nucletron Corporation, a worldwide leader in radiotherapy and radiation oncology systems, today announced that it is shipping a new, transportable radiation therapy unit that can be shared between medical facilities, making it easier for healthcare institutions and managed care networks to extend their radiation services to a broader patient base. Nucletron's transportable microSelectron-HDR remote afterloader provides the full-functionality of its stationary version, with modifications that meet the stringent safety requirements for moving and operating a radiation unit at different locations.


Along with the afterloader, which was already built on wheels for easy maneuverability, a transportable cart was designed to carry the equipment necessary to operate the afterloader. The cart includes a laptop and lightweight flat-panel display to run the PLATO treatment planning system, keyboard and mouse, printer, digitizer, accessories, applicators, Treatment Control Station (TCS) and a shock mounted Silicon Graphics workstation. This transportable unit enables healthcare networks and institutions to launch an HDR practice, or extend their array of treatment options to a larger patient base with less capital expense because one piece of equipment can be shared across many sites.


The transportable microSelectron-HDR is used to perform a specialized internal radiation therapy called High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy. With HDR brachytherapy, a radiation source is temporarily inserted into a cancerous tumor, sparing the surrounding healthy tissues and organs. It is administered on an out-patient basis over the course of one to five days. Side effects of this treatment are greatly reduced because unnecessary radiation exposure to healthy tissue is minimized.


"HDR brachytherapy is being used to treat many kinds of cancer including cancers of the breast, prostate, and lung -- which make up the majority of cancer cases nationwide," said Dr. D. Jeffrey Demanes, vice president of the Association of Free-Standing Radiation Oncology Centers (AFROC), a sub-college of the American College of Radiation Oncologists (ACRO). "This kind of flexible radiation equipment gives people greater access to another weapon in the fight against these difficult diseases."


"Leaders in today's healthcare market are looking for flexible, adaptable solutions that meet their growth projections with minimal capital outlay," said Thomas Maher, president of Nucletron Corporation. "Our product is a safe, reliable solution for healthcare systems competing in managed care environments who are trying to reach more patients."


The transportable microSelectron-HDR remote afterloader has met stringent federal safety regulations that enable it to be moved from one facility to another. Nucletron met with U.S. transportation officials and federal radiation safety officials to determine the rigorous safety mechanisms that must be in place for the transportation, installation, and operation of radiation therapy equipment, and then designed its transportable microSelectron-HDR to meet those requirements.


The first three healthcare systems to purchase the transportable microSelectron HDR remote afterloader for their member facilities include the Advanced Oncology Network, Ft. Worth, TX, the American Prostate Cancer Center of Atlanta, and Mobile HDR, Inc., Tampa, FL.


Nucletron Corporation, worldwide leader in radiotherapy systems, specializes in some of the most innovative products used for cancer treatment, including the equipment and technology for HDR brachytherapy. Nucletron is considered the world leader in brachytherapy, supplying 75 percent of all remote afterloading systems internationally. The company has 11 offices worldwide, including its corporate headquarters in The Netherlands. The American division, headquartered in Columbia, MD, serves the United States, Mexico and Canada.