CNS honored guest lecturer Dr. Ralph Dacey speaks on impact of iMRI on Oct. 10
Describes how VISIUS(®) Surgical Theatre adds value in brain tumor management
WINNIPEG, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – IMRIS Inc. (NASDAQ: IMRS) (TSX: IM)
(“IMRIS” or the “Company”) is announcing that the effective impact of
high field strength intraoperative MRI (iMRI) for brain tumor
management was the focus of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
honored guest lecture.
Dr. Ralph G. Dacey Jr., the current Henry G. and Edith R. Schwartz
professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery at the
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, spoke on this
topic at the Annual Meeting of CNS on Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Chicago.
Dr. Dacey, a CNS past president and treasurer, discussed how integration
of iMRI with the IMRIS VISIUS(®) Surgical Theatre at the Barnes-Jewish & Washington University
Neuroscience Center has fulfilled the intention of improving the
precision, efficacy and safety of neurosurgical procedures. Since it
was installed in 2008 more than 700 procedures have been conducted in
the three-room (two operating rooms and magnet bay) theatre where the
patient remains in a fixed position while the iMRI moves to the
patient.
“I believe this technology and its systematic application is safe and in
our procedures has added significant value to patient surgical care,”
he said. “Our work and studies show that iMRI can be done safely and
with high volume to achieve the surgical objective the first time and
effectively prevent additional surgeries to complete tumor removal.”
Currently serving as the president of the Society for Neurological
Surgeons, Dr. Dacey discussed during his presentation the positive
impact of iMRI on extent of resection (EOR). He said that studies show
increased EOR has demonstrated better patient outcomes. Referring to
his data published in 2011, he said, 93 percent of iMRI glioma cases
achieved gross or near total resection compared to 65 percent for
non-iMRI cases in the same timeframe. Even in GBMs (glioblastoma
multiforme), among the most invasive tumors, he said, an increase in
gross total resection from 24 to 57 percent and an increase in
progression free survival is noted.
“It is apparent that iMRI is effective in improving the extent of
resection,” he said. “The accumulation of evidence suggests that the
improvement of extent of resection in both high and low grade gliomas,
pediatric tumors and pituitary tumors is important to improve
outcomes.”
Dr. Dacey’s center recently published their pediatric experience which
he said indicates that the need for repeat surgeries decreased with
eight percent of non-iMRI patients requiring re-surgery within two
weeks post procedure compared to no re-surgeries for iMRI patients.
About IMRIS
IMRIS (NASDAQ: IMRS; TSX: IM) is a global leader in providing image
guided therapy solutions through its VISIUS Surgical Theatre – a
revolutionary, multifunctional surgical environment that provides
unmatched intraoperative vision to clinicians to assist in decision
making and enhance precision in treatment. VISIUS Surgical Theatres
serve the neurosurgical, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular markets and
have been selected by leading medical institutions around the world.
SOURCE IMRIS Inc.
