It sounds like futuristic equipment only seen in science fiction - medical machines capable of targeted radiation that avoids healthy tissues, scanners that count the energy in photons to create three-dimensional images.
Such machines are now a reality at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, which has adopted the Varian Edge linear accelerator and Siemens Naeotom Alpha photon-counting CT scanner, the most advanced technology of their kind on the market today, enhancing both therapy and diagnosis for patients.
"It's important that Cornell stays on the cutting edge of what veterinary medicine has to offer. Installing crucial pieces of technology allow us to increase our patient care offerings and advance the field through research and teaching," said Susan Ruland, interim hospital director.
The Varian Edge linear accelerator provides state-of-the art, non-invasive radiotherapy treatments. The closest comparable facilities are in New York City, and while approximately 40% of veterinary schools have radiation oncology programs, few have access to such technology. Cornell's Varian Edge replaces machinery previously installed in 2000.
Read the full story on the College of Veterinary Medicine site.
