December 15 2008 | News Article
Veenendaal, Netherlands (December 15, 2008) — Nucletron, a knowledge-based leader in radiation oncology, announced today that the University Medical Center (UMC) in Utrecht, the Netherlands, has implemented two of the recently purchased microSelectron® Digital afterloaders in their clinical program last week.
The two new afterloaders are part of an extensive acquisition by the UMC Utrecht, a purchase that also includes a third microSelectron Digital afterloader as well as Oncentra® GYN, the state-of-the-art dynamic treatment planning solution for gynecologic brachytherapy. The implementation of these new Nucletron solutions allows the UMC Utrecht to continue treating their patients with the latest technology on very short notice.
The UMC in Utrecht and Nucletron have been in partnership for many years in the development of products for brachytherapy and in educational events and workshops to further clinical awareness about brachytherapy globally. This relationship has resulted in the development of the Utrecht Interstitial Fletcher Applicator for Gynecology. This groundbreaking new applicator is expected for sale in the first quarter of 2009.
The Radiotherapy department of the UMC Utrecht is one of the earliest adopters of Nucletron equipment and software for treatment planning and delivery for brachytherapy since the introduction of the first Nucletron Selectron LDR in 1983.
“Nucletron’s products have consistently met our performance standards and have proven most reliable,” says Prof Dr Jan Battermann, head of the radiation therapy department at UMC Utrecht. “Our collaboration with Nucletron has resulted in new solutions for prostate seed implantation, specifically SPOT planning and the seedSelectron for secure and automatic seed delivery. Of recent date is the Utrecht Interstitial Fletcher applicator for gynecologic brachytherapy with which we hope to achieve even better clinical outcomes than before. Nucletron’s strength lies in their willingness to listen to customers and to offer solutions to meet the customer’s needs.”
“We are extremely happy about our collaboration with the UMC Utrecht,” said Michel Rudolphie, vice president Europe at Nucletron. “On many occasions this has lead to major breakthroughs in our product development and will continue to do so in the future. I am convinced that our relationship ultimately results in improved care for cancer patients.”
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About Brachytherapy Brachytherapy is an advanced cancer treatment. Radioactive seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumor itself, giving a high radiation dose to the tumor while reducing the radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy tissues. The term "brachy" is Greek for short distance, and brachytherapy is radiation therapy given at a short distance: localized, precise, and high-tech.
About University Medical Center Utrecht The University Medical Center Utrecht is one of the largest university hospitals and health care organization in the Netherlands. The Radiotherapy Department treats approximately 4,000 cancer patients per year. The department is very well equipped with 8 state-of-the-art linear accelerators, CT and MRI facilities and a brachytherapy unit. The department especially focuses on image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) and currently builds an MRI-accelerator for tomotherapy.
About Nucletron Nucletron is a knowledge-based leader in Radiation Oncology, working with clinical teams to realize innovative solutions that improve patient care. Nucletron strives to offer the best possible choice of radiation modalities through integrated products, software and services. Critical to the Nucletron philosophy is the establishment of close working relationships with individual clinical teams – reconfiguring traditional boundaries between customer and solution provider. Many Nucletron employees have clinical experience delivering oncology care, providing an in-depth understanding of the complex needs of clinicians.