Varian Medical Systems To Exhibit Linear Accelerators And Digital X-Ray Systems For Security Inspections, Cargo Screening | Varian

{ "pageType": "news-article", "title": "Varian Medical Systems To Exhibit Linear Accelerators And Digital X-Ray Systems For Security Inspections, Cargo Screening", "articleDate": "13 May 2003", "introText": "", "category": "" }

Varian Medical Systems To Exhibit Linear Accelerators And Digital X-Ray Systems For Security Inspections, Cargo Screening

PALO ALTO, Calif. - May 13, 2003 - Varian Medical Systems (NYSE:VAR) will exhibit X-ray products for the homeland security market at theupcoming Homeland Security Summit taking place May 14-16, 2003, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA.

Varian Medical Systems will exhibit:

  • PaxScan™ portable digital flat panel X-ray imaging products;
  • The Linatron-M™ X-ray linear accelerator for rapid, high-resolution screening of cargo containers and trucks; and
  • Several new lines of high energy X-ray tube sources for use in baggage and cargo inspection equipment.
PaxScan Portable Digital X-Ray Products Varian Medical Systems is one of the world's leading producers of amorphous-silicon flat panel image detectors.  These devices are incorporated in portable X-ray inspection systems currently used by some U.S. Government agencies for quickly identifying the contents of suspicious packages. One particular application of the PaxScan technology is this 4030R Portable System ideal for battlefield X-ray imagingVarian's PaxScan 4030R Portable X-Ray Inspection System combines a high-resolution flat panel image detector with a rugged portable computer workstation.  When combined with an appropriate x-ray source, the PaxScan 4030R system is compact enough to be transported in the trunk of a car.  It can be set up and used to acquire images in a matter of minutes.  The images are instantly displayed on the integrated computer monitor. Varian's PaxScan technology is already used in numerous industrial and medical settings, from steel mills and jet engine component factories to hospital oncology departments.  In every case, Varian focuses on adapting the technology to meet customers' specific needs. "Demands that stress smaller, lighter, and faster are always at the head of the list of needs when portability is required," said Chuck Blouir, marketing manager at Varian.  "Many products currently on the market are large and difficult to position  around suspicious objects in tight areas, and they do not provide the image quality required for making decisions.  This can lead to lost time, in time-critical situations.  The Varian PaxScan system is compact, it sets up fast, and it provides very high quality images quickly and reliably.  Today's security agencies need this superior capability."  Linatron M Cargo containers that enter the U.S. through international ports are a large potential hazard. According to Lester Boeh, vice president for Varian's Security & Inspection Products business, current technology used for screening cargo containers coming into U.S. ports was not designed to allow for thoroughly screening large numbers of containers in a short period of time. Varian Medical Systems' Linatron™ M X-ray linear accelerator has been incorporated, by several cargo inspection suppliers around the world, into fixed site and mobile cargo scan systems.  The Linatron M is a high energy X-ray accelerator that is used for industrial and nondestructive inspection purposes.  These devices are also used for field inspection of structures like bridges and buildings.  They incorporate Varian Medical Systems' leading linear accelerator technology and can generate a wide range of X-ray energies for penetrating different substances, including steel. An X-ray image of a truck reveals the presence of a stolen car hidden inside a truck behind a pile of other items. The stolen car contains some stolen television sets in the back seat and trunk. There are also bottles of alcohol hidden in a stack of material behind the car. The image was created with a Heimann Cargo Vision X-ray Inspection System using a Linatron linear accelerator from Varian Medical Systems of Palo Alto, CA.The use of high-energy X-ray screening technology for cargo inspection is still new to the U.S.   However, countries like Algeria, Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the UK, use high-energy cargo screening systems, primarily for manifest verification and revenue enhancement.  US Customs owns two mobile evaluation systems with LinatrE> on accelerators from Varian and has recently ordered two more.  Varian Security & Inspection Products has delivered nearly 60 high-energy x-ray accelerators for cargo inspection worldwide. "Prior to September 11, US Customs was primarily interested in drug enforcement," said Jim Johnson, General Manager of Varian Security & Inspection Products.  "But now, drugs are no longer the only focus.  There is growing recognition that un-inspected sea cargo containers and large air cargo represent a significant threat to security.  If the U.S. government decides to step up cargo screening, Varian has the technology to help them do it." X-Ray Tubes One of Varian's high-voltage, metal-ceramic X-ray tubes for use in EDS scannersVarian Medical Systems is also the world's largest independent supplier of X-ray tubes and  X-ray tube assemblies for medical, industrial and security applications. The company will exhibit a new line of x-ray tube assemblies designed specifically for highly sophisticated explosive detection system (EDS-CT) applications.  Also on display will be a new line of bi-polar metal ceramic X-ray tube assemblies for non-destructive inspection (NDI), available in several configurations ranging from 220kV to 350kV for cargo and parcel inspection applications. #  #  #