RaySearch and Canon have announced a partnership that will combine RayStation and RayCare software with Canon's imaging systems, with a goal of enhancing radiotherapy imaging and planning.

The collaboration's products will hit U.S. markets first, and focus on generating a more efficient workflow with visualization solutions that combine radiotherapy imaging and planning tools to help clinicians find the best cancer treatments based on a number of factors, including the size and location of the tumor, the direction of radiotherapy beams and appropriate isocenter locations.

RayStation Simulation and RayCare, according to RaySearch, will make a fully integrated workspace and a comprehensive toolbox, together with Canon imaging technologies.

RayStation Simulation provides for a virtual simulation that has patient modeling, isocenter placement, the ability to export to patient marking systems, and beam design – all already part of RaySearch’s planning system. Oncology information manager RayCare, released last year, handles image management and workflow for virtual simulation.

The collaboration exemplified Canon's “Made for Life” philosophy, said Toshio Takiguchi, president and CEO, Canon Medical, stressing that it would combine “best-in-class medical imaging technologies along with best-in-class oncology informatics to deliver better quality care at a lower cost.” It would also improve care by bringing the “benefits of high-definition imaging to the oncology continuum of care,” he added.

RayStation 8A, released in June, comes with advanced features for radiation, proton and carbon ion therapies.

The treatment planning system is equipped with full planning capabilities for Accuray’s TomoTherapy and Radixact systems, and offers supports to TomoDirect treatment mode and TomoHelical functionality. In addition, the platform is designed to improve the efficiency of proton and carbon-ion therapy, and can be further integrated with RayCare, RaySearch’s oncology information system.

"This latest RayStation release is an important step forward. We are very pleased to expand our support for the TomoTherapy platform, giving all users access to innovative RayStation features,” Löf said in a statement at the time. “We have also included some significant additional features for particle therapy, which is an important focus area for RaySearch. Many more exciting developments are in the pipeline for upcoming releases, and we will announce these in the near future."

In July, CHU de Québec-Université Laval in Canada chose RayStation to be combined with its Varian Truebeam Linacs at its new state-of-the-art cancer center in Quebec City. The center will house seven linacs, plus CT Sim, MR Sim and PET CT.

“I am fully convinced that this is the future for radiation therapy centers. This is a major order for RaySearch and I look forward to a successful partnership,” Löf advised in a statement.

The Canadian news came after months of partnership deals worldwide between the Swedish enterprise and other entities, including Heidelberg University Hospital, MD Anderson, Apollo Hospitals, and Yamagata University Hospital.

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