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WKR: Elekta's revolution encourages radiotherapy evolution

ELEKTA’S REVOLUTIONENCOURAGES RADIOTHERAPY EVOLUTION

Elekta Synergy™ set tolead the way in image-guided radiotherapy

Exciting data presented today atthe American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO)annual meeting, demonstrate the enormous potential for the newElekta Synergy™ system to significantly advanceradiotherapy treatment for cancer patients.

One in three people will developcancer in their lifetime and four out of ten cancer patients willreceive radiotherapy as part of their treatment. Radiation isdirected at a patient’s tumour in order to kill cancerouscells, however, radiation can also affect surrounding healthycells if it is not directed exactly. Traditionally, a scannedimage is taken prior to treatment to identify the exact locationof the cancer tumour. However, an enlarged radiation field isoften used to account for the uncertainty of the tumours’position. This uncertainty can be due to a number of causes:

• The accuracy with which thepatient can be positioned on the therapy machine.
• Movement within the body (e.g. movement caused bybreathing).
• Changes between the time of scan and actual treatment.

The data presented by Dr MarkOldham, Staff Physicist and Daniel Letourneau from WilliamBeaumont Hospital, Michigan, USA, show that by combining an X-rayvolume imaging system and radiotherapy equipment (a medicalaccelerator) to provide ‘real time’ images of thetumour during treatment, the image quality and treatment accuracyis significantly improved.(ref:1,2) A preliminary study forprostate cancer treatment indicated that it would be possible toattain a planning target volume margin expansion less than 5mmcompared to a conventional 10mm margin (within a 20 minutetreatment slot).(ref:1)

Mark Oldham said, "Integratedimaging and treatment provides a significant opportunity toimprove the practice of radiation therapy and enhance the outlookfor cancer patients. The data presented at ASTRO, together withprevious data suggests that the introduction of Elekta Synergy™will be well received by radiation oncologists and patients alike."

The data presented at ASTROfurther supports encouraging data presented at the EuropeanSociety for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO), whichreports on the clinical use of Elekta Synergy™, describingit as having enormous potential for image-guided radiotherapy andbeing the current state-of-the-art in image acquisition,reconstruction and processing.(ref:3,4) Key findings from thedata showed:

• Using repeat scans toaccount for tumour position and movement resulted in thereduction of systematic errors from 0.4-1.3cm (SD) to 0.2-0.6cm (SD).

• A further reduction insystematic errors to 0.1-0.3cm (SD) was obtained by treatingpatients with a small day-to-day variation (<1cm SD) withadaptive radiotherapy and all remaining patients with image-guidedradiotherapy.

Additional data presented at ESTROdemonstrate that online (simultaneous) imaging and adaptation ofa treatment plan to the actual shape and position of the targetvolume (tumour) will improve the outcome in specific cancerradiotherapy treatment cases.(ref:5)

The success of Elekta Synergy™has been brought about through close collaboration between Elektaand the following research sites:

• Princess Margaret Hospital,Toronto, Canada
• William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA
• Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK
• The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), Amsterdam, TheNetherlands

Volker Stieber, Elekta ExecutiveVice President – Technology Development & Operations,acknowledged the aptness of the new product’s name, "Synergyis defined as two or more entities working together, wherein thesum is greater than each individual’s contribution. ElektaSynergy™ adds dedicated imaging technology to a proventreatment platform, creating a system that is truly more than thesum of its parts."

Elekta Synergy™ system ispending 510(k) pre-market clearance and is not currentlyavailable for sale or distribution in the USA.

Notes to editors:
• For further information regarding Elekta Synergy™and other Elekta products, please visit www.elekta.com
• Images of Elekta Synergy™ can be accessed at thefollowing website address: www.elekta.com/investors

For further information, pleasecontact:

US Media Enquiries
Michelle Lee
PR & Advertising Manager
+1 770 670 2447
michelle.lee@elekta.com 		International Media Enquiries
Laura Tipple
Account Manager
+44 207 313 6324
laura.tipple@shirehealthlondon.com
US Investor Enquiries
Lars Jonsteg
Vice President Investor Relations North America
+1 770 670 2419
lars.jonsteg@elekta.com 		International Investor Enquiries
Peter Ejemyr
Group Vice President Corporate Communications
+46 8 587 254 00
peter.ejemyr@elekta.com

About Elekta:
Elekta is a world-leading supplier of advanced and innovativeradiation oncology and neurosurgery solutions and services forprecise treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Elekta'ssolutions are clinically effective, cost efficient and gentle tothe patient.

References:
1. Oldham M, et al. Online volumetric CT-guided radiationtherapy. Abstract 101. American Society for Therapeutic Radiologyand Oncology Annual Meeting, October 2003.

2. Letourneau D, et al.Implementation of an on-board kilovoltage cone-beam CT imagingsystem for clinical applications. Abstract 102. American Societyfor Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Annual Meeting 2003.

3. Sonke J, et al. Image qualityof a cone beam CT system for image guided radiotherapy. Oralpresentation, abstract 66. European Society for TherapeuticRadiology and Oncology Annual Meeting, September 2003.

4. van Herk M, et al. Clinicalimplementation of cone-beam CT guided radiotherapy. Oralpresentation, abstract 27. European Society for TherapeuticRadiology and Oncology Annual Meeting, September 2003.

5. Remeijer M, et al. CT imagingfor RT: Is one scan sufficient? Poster presentation, abstract 19.European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology AnnualMeeting, September 2003.


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