Elekta

Elekta (OMX|SSE806|EKTA B) provides clinical solutions for the treatment of cancer and brain disorders. The company also develops tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy and radiosurgery, as well as workflow enhancing software systems. Globally, the company has approximately 2,500 employees. The company's flagship products for cancer treatment include: Elekta Infinity with VMAT technology, Elekta Axesse™ and Elekta Synergy® for stereotactic and image guided radiation therapy and radiosurgery.

History

The company was founded in 1972 by the late Lars Leksell, Professor of Neurosurgery at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Since 1994, the company has been listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. Elekta was created to commercialize the development of the Leksell Stereotactic System, and Leksell Gamma Knife®, which the professor had been researching since the late 1940s. Lars Leksell's son, Laurent, became CEO of Elekta until 2005, and under his leadership the company expanded into a public medical technology group with more than 2,500 employees worldwide. In 1988 Tomas Puusepp took over control of the company.

In 1997, Elekta acquired Philips Medical Systems radiotherapy division, and became able to offer clinical solutions outside of the brain. Building on this base, other companies have been acquired, including Neuromag in 2003, the primary Magnetoencephalography system manufacturer, IMPAC Medical Systems in 2005, a cancer management software company and in 2007 CMS, a radiation treatment planning and workflow management software provider.

VMAT technology

Volumetric Modulated Therapy (VMAT) is a cancer treatment technique that offers patients shorter treatment times without compromising target coverage and patient safety.

Leksell Gamma Knife

Leksell Gamma Knife® is a neurosurgical device used to treat brain tumors with radiation therapy. The device also is used to treat conditions such as AVMs and Trigeminal Neuralgia. The device was invented by Lars Leksell, in 1967 at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Since, there have been many versions of Leksell Gamma Knife®. The latest is Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™.

As of September 2008 there are 259 devices worldwide. [cite web|url=http://blog.aktualne.centrum.cz/blogy/frantisek-janouch.php?itemid=3030|title=Leksell Gamma Knife 15 years later|language=Czech|accessdate=2008-03-27|quote=Article about the national-wide fundraising campaign in Czechoslovakia to obtain the device, written by the František Janouch, the main organizer.]

Corporate Offices

Elekta has offices in Georgia, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, St. Louis, New Jersey, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Austria, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico and Southern Africa.

ee also

*List of Swedish companies
*Radiosurgery
*Neurosurgery
*Stereotactic surgery

References

http://www.oncologysystems.com/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/94621.php
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045080.htm
http://medgadget.com/archives/2007/10/elekta_compact_linear_accelerator.html
http://www.alacrastore.com/company-snapshot/Elekta_AB-1073788
http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/810075
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/radonc/treatment/synergy_1/
http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-technology-1/Elekta-Announces-First-Two-Clinical-Sites-Using-VMAT-Cancer-Treatment-Capability-2658-1/
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/01-18-2008/0004738898&EDATE=FRI+Jan+18+2008,+09:00+AM

External links

* [http://www.elekta.com Elekta Official Site]
* [http://www.impac.com Impac Software Official Site]
* [http://www.cmsrtp.com CMS Software Official Site]
* [http://www.elekta.com/evc Elekta Virtual Clinic]
* [http://www.livingwithbrainmets.org/ Living With Brain Mets]
* [http://www1.wfubmc.edu/gammaknife/Gamma+Knife+vs+CyberKnife/GK+vs+Cyber.htm Wake Forest Gamma Knife Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0-xeemzm0U How Gamma Knife Works (Video)]
* [http://www.gamma-knife-surgery.com Gamma Knife Center - Florida Hospital]
* [http://www.braintumortreatment.org/ Brain Tumor Treatment - Gamma Knife]
* [http://www.medical-intelligence.com/ Medical Intelligence]
* Gamma Knife Wiki