First Center in Middle East With Elekta's Versa HD Radiotherapy System Begins Treating Cancer Patients

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, January 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Equipped with advanced beam-shaping and high dose rate delivery technologies, King Abdulaziz University Hospital's (KAUH) Versa HD™ system is enabling physicians to treat cancer patients with a new, unprecedented combination of accuracy and speed. On November 2, KAUH treated its first patient with Versa HD. Since then, 70 new patients have started their treatments with the system.

"We had been looking for an advanced radiation therapy system that integrated well in our current department setup," says Prof. Yasir Bahadur, KAUH's Vice Dean Faculty of Medicine and Radiotherapy Unit Chairman. "We already have been using Elekta Synergy® linear accelerator, Monaco® treating planning, MOSAIQ® and brachytherapy systems for some time. Versa HD fits in well and provides Agility™ beam-shaping for high-precision radiotherapy and High Dose Rate mode to reduce beam delivery time."

Most Versa HD treatments at KAUH are performed using the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) technique, in which radiation therapy is delivered in one or more uninterrupted arcs, thereby reducing treatment time versus conventional step-and-shoot delivery. As the hospital's clinicians gain more experience with the system, they plan to begin stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments in early 2016.

"Our initial experience with Versa HD has been promising," Prof. Bahadur says. "Saudi Arabia is using cutting-edge radiation therapy technology in the vast majority of the country's centers. In our opinion this trend will continue, so we anticipate that demand for advanced technology will increase. KAUH is not only a patient-centered organization, but an academic institution as well. Therefore, we are looking forward to acquiring technology that is beneficial for our patients, in addition to sustainable partnerships for educating and training our students and young professionals."

To learn more about Elekta's comprehensive range of cancer care solutions, visit booth S1A30 at the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress, January 25-28 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

About Elekta 

Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both health care providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,800 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. Website: http://www.elekta.com.

For further information, please contact:

Gert van Santen, Group Vice President Corporate Communications, Elekta AB
Tel: +31-653-561-242, e-mail: gert.vansanten@elekta.com
Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Raven Canzeri, Global Public Relations Manager, Elekta
Tel: +1-770-670-2524, e-mail: raven.canzeri@elekta.com
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time