Radiation oncology facilities in the United States should think carefully about what happens to their used equipment.  Much of this equipment is being destroyed and scrapped unnecessarily, and it’s imperative that it not go to waste.  Used linear accelerators are in high demand in developing markets, and what we do in the United States has consequences around the world.

This newly installed, refurbished linear accelerator system will help thousands of needy cancer patients in a country that is plagued with crisis.  Without it, many cancer patients would go without desperately needed treatments.

The very first Varian Edge Radiotherapy System has been offered in the secondary (used equipment) market.  Rarely does radiation therapy equipment this new enter the secondary market, and those ready to make a purchase often capture thousands, or even millions of dollars in savings.

The Varian Edge is a medical linear accelerator machine used for stereotactic radiosurgery (“SRS”), which involves the treatment of tumors in the head, neck and brain.  First introduced in 2016, the Edge is considered one of the latest, cutting edge machines in radiation therapy from Varian Medical Systems.

When it comes to removing and installing linear accelerators, speed is of utmost importance. A linear accelerator replacement is a huge logistical undertaking that can cause a lot of stress for both doctors and patients in radiation oncology centers. The physical process, from start to finish, can take as long as six weeks. While this may not have a huge impact on a hospital or larger facility that has multiple machines, for a smaller, free-standing clinic that is replacing its only machine, the effect it has on revenue and treatment schedules can be very severe. Doctors have to refer their patients out until the new machine is ready, which can potentially lead to loss of revenue for the facility and potentially harmful inconvenience for the patient.