Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its updated ProBeam™ proton therapy system.
Varian's ProBeam system gives clinicians options for delivering dose precisely in order to minimize dose to healthy tissue in the course of delivering proton therapy treatments for cancer. Its scanning beam technology enables intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) by modulating dose levels on a spot-by-spot basis throughout the treatment area. Irradiations from multiple angles are combined in an optimal manner to improve control of dose distributions. Scanning beam technology also eliminates the time-consuming need to manually insert separate shaping accessories for each beam angle in order to match the beam to the shape of the tumor.
Varian's scanning beam IMPT technology is already at work in the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center in Germany, which has now treated over 1,500 patients. Varian also has contracts to install ProBeam systems at six sites: four in the United States, one in Saudi Arabia, and one in Russia.
