June 5, 2007 - Varian Medical Systems recently received top honors, a 2007 21st Century Achievement Award in the 2007 Computerworld Honors Program, which recognizes individuals and organizations that use information technology to benefit society, at the 19th Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards Evening in Washington, D.C.
Varian was first honored as one of 50 finalists whose case studies were selected by program judges to be outstanding innovations within the information technology field. Varian then went on to receive the coveted 21st Century Achievement Award, becoming one of ten organizations selected by the program judges as first among their peers.
Varian was honored for its technology for planning and delivering an advanced form of radiation therapy called SmartBeam IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy), which has improved the success and safety of radiation oncology and expanded its use to the treatment of tumors that might have been difficult or impossible to treat. IMRT enables doctors to eradicate cancerous tumors more effectively with minimal side effects. It is used to treat many forms of cancer, including tumors of the brain, breast, gynecological organs, head and neck, lung, and prostate. Varian's software helps treatment centers manage and use the mountains of data and images required for delivering these sophisticated treatments.