Varian Medical Systems Introduces Dynamic Adaptive Radiotherapy (DART™) Initiative at ASTRO 2005 in Denver, October 16-19 | Varian

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Varian Medical Systems Introduces Dynamic Adaptive Radiotherapy (DART™) Initiative at ASTRO 2005 in Denver, October 16-19

DENVER, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems is spotlighting its innovative Dynamic Adaptive Radiotherapy (DART™) solutions for personalized cancer care at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting this week in Denver, Colorado.

DART is an emerging approach for more personalized cancer care that involves using up-to-date image data to adapt a patient's treatment based on constantly-evolving information about changes in tumor shape, size, and position. "It is the next stage in personalized cancer care," says Dow Wilson, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. "It means using technology to deliver the right dose to the right place at the right time, every time, even when the targeted tumor moves, shrinks, or changes shape. The idea is to keep the treatment beam focused on the tumor at all times, and do the best possible job of protecting normal healthy tissues."

Varian's DART initiative is based on Varian's Inspiration™ platform, which integrates advanced information management and image processing with rapid treatment planning and advanced treatment delivery systems within a networked clinical environment. It involves generating, accessing, integrating, interpreting, and acting on new patient information in real time.

"Varian is the only company delivering all the elements needed to make DART clinically feasible. These elements include:

* Versatile X-ray imaging capabilities, including the On-Board Imager™
     device, with diagnostic quality radiographic, fluoroscopic, and 3-D
     cone-beam CT imaging

   * The SonArray™ 3-D ultrasound imaging and optical technology for
     real-time tumor tracking.

   * Fully-automated, remotely-controlled patient positioning systems.

   * Integrated data and image management tools.  Varian's new ARIA™
     Oncology Information System is the only software of its kind to support
     fully-automated and rapid image-processing, so that clinicians can
     examine, manipulate, and integrate image data from Varian's On-Board
     Imager™ device and use that data to adapt their treatments.

   * Fast and automated treatment planning capabilities with efficient plan
     re-optimization tools that can make use of real-time image and dose
     distribution information to refine a treatment plan quickly and
     efficiently

   * Real-time motion management tools, including fluoroscopic imaging
     capabilities and Varian's RPM™ respiratory gating system for imaging
     and treating in accordance with any respiratory motion

"Varian's DART initiative is putting numerous tools into customers' hands and coordinating them through a fully integrated system, so that dynamic adaptation can be accomplished using existing levels of staff, within normal treatment time slots," said Wilson. "We're moving forward in our quest to make cancer a manageable disease, and that means having the capacity to do what's best for each individual patient in a clinically practical and cost-effective manner. We believe that dynamic adaptive radiotherapy is a major step in that direction."

ABOUT VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California is the world's leading manufacturer of integrated cancer therapy systems, which are treating thousands of patients per day. The company is also a premier supplier of X-ray tubes and flat-panel digital subsystems for imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 3,500 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 56 sales and support offices around the world. Additional information is available on the company's web site at http://www.varian.com/.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this press release regarding future business, events, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates, and other similar matters, including, but not limited to, statements using the terms "can" and "will" constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, the risks described in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed from time to time by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

ASTRO BOOTH #614

  FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
   Spencer Sias, (650) 424-5782
   spencer.sias@varian.com

   Meryl Ginsberg, (650) 424-6444
   meryl.ginsberg@varian.com

SOURCE: Varian Medical Systems

CONTACT: Spencer Sias, +1-650-424-5782, spencer.sias@varian.com, or
Meryl Ginsberg, +1-650-424-6444, meryl.ginsberg@varian.com, both of Varian
Medical Systems

Web site: http://www.varian.com/