University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) physicians used Gamma Knife® surgery to treat the center’s 10,000th patient, an 81-year-old male with a tumor deep in his brainstem, a site where traditional surgery would have been impossible. Gamma Knife surgery is performed using Elekta’s Leksell Gamma Knife system, which directs up to 201 pencil-thin beams of therapeutic radiation precisely on brain tumors and other targets in the head.

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According to a study published recently in the Journal of Neurosurgery, neurosurgeons at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. found that the pen-sized microscope could help them precisely identify where tumor tissue ends and healthy tissue begins. A laser microscope that picks up fluorescently-dyed cells could result in more precise tumor extraction during brain surgery, and streamlined workflows in the operating room.

Accuray Inc. has introduced the InTempo™ Adaptive Imaging System, which enhances the ability of the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System to continually track and correct for motion of the prostate during treatment. The InTempo System helps the radiation delivery with the CyberKnife System in adapting to patient-specific prostate motion automatically. Along with the CyberKnife System’s correction for movement in real time, ensuring delivery of prescribed doses to the prostate. Also, it helps in keeping the adjoining sensitive features safe.

Covidien Ltd., a leading provider of advanced energy-based surgical systems has announced the global launch of its new Evident™ microwave ablation system. Designed to coagulate soft tissue during laparoscopic, percutaneous and open surgical procedures, evident system produces heat through the vibration of molecules of water. Microwave energy is then emitted from the feed point of the radiating part of the antenna. This results in the soft tissue’s coagulation. Evident™, that has received the CE Mark approval, is now the first microwave ablation system to be available worldwide.

 EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc. has achieved positive results from the blinded, independent re-read of images of its novel blood pool magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) agent, Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium). EPIX met all pre-specified endpoints in the re-read of images obtained from previous phase III studies and intends to resubmit a New Drug Application (NDA) for the agent in mid-2008. There are currently no contrast agents approved in the United States for use with MRA, a non-invasive modality for imaging blood vessels.