Businessweek

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. operates as a manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company also supplies X-ray imaging components for medical, scientific, and industrial applications and also supplies X-ray imaging products for cargo screening and industrial inspection. It also offers tools for fighting cancer, taking X-ray images, and protecting ports and borders. Segments The company’s segments include Oncology Systems, X-ray Products, and Other. Oncology Systems This segment designs, manufactures, sells, and services hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and brachytherapy. The company’s products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment simulation, and verification equipment and accessories, as well as information management, treatment planning, and image processing software. The company’s products enable radiation oncology departments in hospitals and clinics to perform conventional radiotherapy treatments and offer advanced treatments, such as fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy, and stereotactic radiotherapy, as well as to treat patients using brachytherapy techniques. Its products are also used by surgeons and radiation oncologists to perform radiosurgery. The company’s worldwide customers include university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, doctors' offices, and cancer care clinics. In 2011, it acquired Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc. (Calypso), a supplier of specialized products and software for real-time tumor tracking and motion management during radiosurgery and radiotherapy. In April 2012, the company entered into a strategic global partnership with Siemens AG (Siemens) through which, it represents Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in various international markets and since November 2012 in North America, Siemens, in turn, represents its equipment and software products for radiotherapy and radiosurgery within its offerings to its healthcare customers in agreed upon regions. Additionally, the company and Siemens are working on developing interfaces to enable its ARIA Oncology Information Management System (ARIA) software to connect with Siemens linear accelerators and imaging systems, as well as exploring opportunities to co-develop new imaging and treatment solutions. This segment’s products address each major aspect of the radiotherapy process, including linear accelerators and accessory products for positioning the patient and delivering the X-ray beam; brachytherapy afterloaders for delivering radioactive implantable seeds; treatment planning software for planning treatment sessions and dose delivery; treatment simulation and verification equipment, and quality assurance software for simulating and verifying treatment plans before treatment, as well as verification of correct treatment delivery; and information management software for recording the history and results of treatments and other patient treatment information and data, including patient X-ray images. The company’s products and accessories for IMRT and IGRT allow clinicians to track and treat tumors. Its products also allow multiple medical specialties—radiation oncology, neurosurgery, radiographic imaging, and medical oncology—to share equipment, resources, and information. The company’s linear accelerators are the core device for delivering conventional external beam radiotherapy, IMRT, IGRT, and volumetric modulated arc therapy treatments. It produces versions of these devices to suit various clinical requirements. Its Clinac medical linear accelerators are used to treat cancer by producing therapeutic electrons and X-ray beams that target tumors and other diseases. The Clinac iX linear accelerators are designed for various streamlined and advanced treat