• Escalon Medical (Wayne, Pennsylvania) reported that its Sonomed subsidiary has received FDA clearance for the Master-VU ophthalmic B-scan ultrasound system. The system consists of a B-scan probe that can be interfaced to a standard personal computer (via a USB cable connection) using Sonomed’s software, thereby converting the personal computer into an ophthalmic ultrasound system. The Master-VU features include: measurement calipers for multiple intraocular measurements; the ability to save both 30-second “clips” as well as individual frames on a scrolling frame manager; and on-screen annotation capability, including text and graphics. Sonomed is a diagnostic ultrasound company specializing in the design, manufacture and distribution of instruments for ophthalmology. Escalon makes ophthalmic diagnostic, surgical and pharmaceutical products as well as vascular access devices.

• Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, California) has received FDA clearances for its RapidArc radiotherapy technology, an advance which Varian says makes it possible to deliver image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) two to eight times faster and more precisely than possible with conventional IMRT or helical tomotherapy. RapidArc delivers a complete IMRT treatment in a single rotation of the treatment machine around the patient. The two FDA clearances for RapidArc cover the treatment hardware and the RapidArc treatment planning software module in Varian’s Eclipse treatment planning system. RapidArc technology uses an algorithm that creates a finely-shaped IMRT dose distribution that closely matches the size and shape of the tumor. It works by varying three parameters simultaneously: 1) the speed with which the treatment machine rotates around the patient, 2) the dimensions of the beam-shaping aperture, which change continually during the treatment based on the patient’s unique anatomy, and 3) the rate at which the dose is delivered. The company says that these technologies work together to make RA “the most revolutionary advance in radiation therapy in terms of speed, efficiency, and conformality.” Varian makes medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy and brachytherapy.