Sunday, July 22, 2007


LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Jul. 22, 2007 (PR Newswire delivered by Newstex) -- Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute (CARTI) recently installed the ExacTrac(R) X-Ray 6D image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) system, enabling doctors to pinpoint tumors with increased accuracy and treat a wider variety of indications. Designed from the ground up to optimize workflow, physicians now have the ability to maximize patient output while also improving treatment outcomes. Top performing facilities that have selected the ExacTrac X-Ray 6D system accomplish an average of 90 - 100 fractions a week. In comparison to 2006, where an average of 65 fractions per week could be administered, and together with an increased number of ExacTrac X-Ray 6D systems installed, this represents a 117% annual growth in the use of the BrainLAB technology.

CARTI is part of a growing number of healthcare facilities adopting IGRT technology for the improved treatment of malignant and non-malignant tumors. Traditionally, small shifts in patient movement or radiation beam alignment can result in damage to normal tissues surrounding the tumor. BrainLAB IGRT technology uses high-resolution x-rays to pinpoint tumors seconds before treatment, automatically corrects any patient set-up errors and tracks patient movement throughout the procedure.

'The implementation of the BrainLAB ExacTrac X-Ray 6D system makes the advanced treatment technology available for our patients,' said Ann Maners, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, CARTI. 'Thanks to the high level of accuracy built into BrainLAB technology, we now have the ability to administer more accurate treatments, which should result in fewer complications.'

With the arrival of the ExacTrac X-Ray 6D system, patients with tumors that were previously considered not suitable for precision radiotherapy now have new hope due to the technology's ability to precisely deliver a highly focused radiation dose right to the tumor. Greater accuracy means that oncologists can now treat a wider range of indications, including prostate, lung, liver and spine.

'The increasing number of hospitals in the United States that have chosen the ExacTrac X-Ray 6D system is a testament to the technology's efficacy in administering advanced image-guided radiation therapy,' said Ralf Schira, Marketing Manager, Oncology, BrainLAB. 'The team at CARTI is elevating the standard of care in the region with the acquisition of next-generation patient positioning technology.'

About CARTI

CARTI is a nonprofit radiation therapy center with seven facilities located throughout Arkansas in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Mountain Home and Searcy. The CARTI Foundation was incorporated in 1983 as a nonprofit organization to assist CARTI in meeting the current and future needs of Arkansas cancer patients and their families.

For more information, visit  http://www.carti.com.

About BrainLAB

BrainLAB develops, manufactures and markets software-driven medical technology that enables procedures that are more precise, less invasive, and therefore less expensive than traditional treatments. Among the core products are image-guided systems that provide highly accurate real-time information used for navigation during surgical procedures. This utility has been further expanded to serve as a computer terminal for physicians to more effectively access and interpret diagnostic scans and other digital medical information for better informed decisions. BrainLAB solutions allow expansion from a single system to operating suites to digitally integrated hospitals covering all subspecialties from neurosurgery, orthopedics, ENT, CMF to spine & trauma and oncology. With more than 2,650 systems installed in over 65 countries, BrainLAB is a market leader in image-guided technology. The privately held BrainLAB group, founded in 1989, is headquartered in Munich, Germany and today employs around 950 people in 15 offices across Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America.

For more information, visit BrainLAB at  http://www.brainlab.com.

SOURCE BrainLAB Inc.



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