From software launches to new radiation therapy equipment, Elekta continues to innovate in the field of cancer-treatment technologies. The company has released, acquired and gained regulatory approval for a range of new radiotherapy products over the last 12 months.
What’s new?
In December 2019, Elekta received 510(k) pre-market notification from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) datasets obtained with the Elekta Unity MR-linac. This approval expanded the clinical utility of Elekta Unity to include biologic assessment of tumour response during therapy, allowing treatment adaptation based, not just on gross anatomic changes, but also on early biologic changes at the cellular level.
DWI works by creating a map of the diffusion of water molecules at the cellular level, which can be processed to generate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). A growing body of evidence shows that changes in ADC within a tumour can provide important insights into an individual’s tumour response. Such insights, which were previously unavailable during radiation treatment, can support further personalization of the radiotherapy regimen by allowing more tailored dose adaptation. Overall, DWI can improve a clinician’s ability to deliver the right dose to the right part of the tumour.
To learn more, check out the business line update from Lionel Hadjabjeda, president, MR-Linac solutions, on Wednesday 28 October at 12.00 p.m. ET.
Elekta’s MOSAIQ Plaza* is a powerful, comprehensive set of digital tools that connects users to their colleagues, data and patients, throughout the entire patient workflow. This fully integrated software suite helps to drive efficiencies, standardize daily practice and deliver value-based healthcare.
For example, Elekta recently acquired and continued development of the technology behind MOSAIQ Voice, which enables users to work at the speed of their voice. The tool allows clinical tasks in MOSAIQ to be completed via dictation, streamlining documentation and reducing workload.
Another game-changing workflow advancement is MOSAIQ SmartClinic. With a wide range of professionals involved in cancer patient care, MOSAIQ SmartClinic provides a transparent approach to care management, connecting users to the information that they need, whenever and wherever.
To learn more, check out the business line update from Andrew Wilson, president, oncology informatics solutions, on Tuesday 27 October at 12.00 p.m. ET.
Cervical cancer screening, via Pap and HPV tests, has successfully reduced the incidence of cervical cancer via early detection. But for women still confronted with this disease, treatments such as brachytherapy offer a proven way to improve overall survival. In April 2000. Elekta introduced the Geneva brachytherapy applicator. Designed for cervical cancer up to stage IIB, Geneva could help up to 75% of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.
In mid-July, Geneva received FDA 510(k) clearance. With a comprehensive range of ovoid (13–40 mm) and intrauterine tube (30–80 mm) sizes, in addition to a new interstitial intrauterine tube to expand treatment options after hysterectomy, Geneva can accommodate most female anatomies. Clinicians can now take advantage of a single gynaecological applicator to treat most cervical cancer patients via intracavitary and/or interstitial brachytherapy.
To learn more, check out the business line update from John Lapré, president, brachytherapy solutions, on Tuesday 27 October at 2.00 p.m. ET.
On 12 June, Elekta introduced Leksell Gamma Knife Lightning**, a treatment optimizer designed to boost Gamma Knife radiosurgery workflows and improve plan quality. Lightning, which has been available commercially since the end of June, enables clinicians to create plans for multiple targets in less than a minute and to include beam-on time as a constraint, greatly reducing overall treatment time.
Gamma Knife Lightning addresses the challenge of increasing automation and speed in the stereotactic radiosurgery workflow, while also ensuring a personalized plan tailored to each patient’s needs. The ability to create multiple plans in less than 60 s will allow physicians to compare plans and select the best option. And by controlling beam-on time, they can develop plans with the most efficient delivery parameters – cutting beam-on time in half compared with manual forward planning.
To learn more, check out the business line update from Verena Schiller, president, neuroscience solutions, on Monday 26 October at 2.00 p.m. ET.
To expand its offering of cloud-based solutions for advanced radiotherapy, in late-August 2019 Elekta acquired ProKnow*, offering customers access to high-quality, cloud-based, treatment planning analytics. ProKnow can store, navigate and retrieve data in a scalable cloud-based framework that works across all imaging, planning and treatment modalities. A wealth of insight is contained within these data; but without simple, intuitive solutions, it remains locked away. By centralizing data in a secure web-based repository, ProKnow can unlock it and make it accessible, enabling providers to connect to clinical teams anywhere, any time.
To learn more, check out the breakout session presented by Ben Nelms, founder of ProKnow, on Friday 23 October at 2.00 p.m. ET.
In May 2020, Elekta announced its acquisition of Kaiku Health*, a Finnish company best known for its app that monitors patient-reported outcomes. The Kaiku Health app provides intelligent symptom tracking and management for healthcare providers in routine oncology care and clinical studies. The app screens for patients’ symptoms, notifies the care team on their development and provides personalized support for patients. It is easily implemented into existing hospital information systems and can be integrated with Elekta’s MOSAIQ oncology information system.
Including intelligent patient-monitoring software in the Elekta portfolio supports the company’s oncology informatics strategy. This is a concrete step toward expanding its digital portfolio to further digitally connect customers and their patients.
To learn more, check out the breakout session presented by Vesa Kataja, chief medical officer, Kaiku Health, on Friday 23 October at noon ET.
Virtual presence
With industry events such as the ASTRO Annual Meeting, the SROA Annual Meeting and the ASRT 2020 radiation therapy conference going completely virtual this year, so has Elekta.
For starters, Elekta is partnering with ASTRO for the very first virtual ASTRO experience. Alongside hosting a booth in the virtual exhibit hall, showcasing the abovementioned products, Elekta is running its virtual User Meeting 2020 on 23 October. Attendees at this event will hear from peers, industry experts and Elekta product specialists in a day of learning, networking and interactive product demonstrations.
The User Meeting will conclude with the session, Championing Women & Diversity in Radiation Oncology—A Panel Discussion. This virtual discussion will include five trailblazing professionals: Laura Cervino from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Sandra Hayden from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Lisa Kachnic from Columbia University Medical Center and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center; Toral Patel from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; and Crystal Seldon from the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In the afternoon breakout sessions, radiation oncologists and medical physicists will share their experiences of treating patients on the Elekta Unity and implementing an MR-guided radiotherapy programme. In the field of stereotactic radiotherapy, speakers will discuss linac-based stereotactic treatments and strategies for maximizing SRS efficacy and efficiency with the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon. Attendees can also hear presentations on skin brachytherapy, Elekta’s latest digital solutions, and its recent acquisitions: Kaiku Health and ProKnow. There’s also a discussion on the role of education and training in the medical technology industry.
Elekta is also attending the Virtual Annual Meeting of the Society of Radiation Oncology Administrators (SROA). During the meeting, Elekta will participate in a payer trend roundtable, on 27 October at 3.00 p.m. ET, followed by a “Brown bag” webinar at 4.00 p.m. ET, to share how it is innovating personalized care solutions on a global scale.
As a long-time partner of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), Elekta is participating in the educational sessions at the ASRT 2020 radiation therapy conference and will be hosting a virtual booth at the ASRT expo.
Click here for a list of all of Elekta’s virtual events.
*MOSAIQ Plaza, ProKnow and Kaiku Health are not available in all markets.
**Leksell Gamma Knife Lightning is not yet commercially available.
