| FONAR's Stand-Up MRI Now in Tampa, Florida Area MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 28, 2002--FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ:FONR), The Patient-Friendly(TM) MRI Company, announced that Indomitable(TM), the Stand-Up MRI(TM) has been installed and is open for business at The Imaging Center at Boot Ranch in Palm Harbor, Florida. The scanner was purchased by Rose Radiology Centers, Inc., which also owns a diagnostic center in nearby Zephyrhills, Florida. There are now two FONAR Stand-Up MRI(TM) scanners in Florida; the other opened in Orlando soon after the Palm Harbor opening. Dr. Manuel S. Rose, board-certified in diagnostic radiology and owner of Rose Radiology Centers, Inc., stated, "We are both proud and excited to be introducing the very latest Open MRI technology to our community. For the first time in medical history, we are able to obtain MRI images with patients in their positions of pain. "A substantial part of our business is providing interventional pain management for patients throughout the Tampa Bay area, so we immediately recognized the extraordinary advantage of weight-bearing MRI. If I have a spine patient experiencing pain, especially when he stands, that's the position I want him to be in for his MRI examination. Relying solely on an MRI exam of a supine patient is inadequate because the pathology often disappears when he's in that position. The Stand-Up MRI(TM) takes away the guesswork and enables me to make a more informed and, therefore, better diagnosis. No other MRI can do that. We've been open for just a couple of weeks. Judging from what we've seen so far, we certainly made the right decision." Dr. Rose continued, "Besides the clinical advantages of the Stand-Up MRI(TM), there's the issue of patient comfort. The patient environment is very non-claustrophobic because there is nothing near the patient's head. Often, depending on the protocol, patients are able to sit for their MRIs. They've been watching DIRECTV thoughout their scans. They love it." When asked about the installation of the scanner and its performance, Dr. Rose said, "The installation went smoothly, and at 0.6 Tesla magnetic field strength, the scanner produces excellent images. In fact, we have the only high-field Open MRI in the area. We're all very pleased." The imaging center also provides Spiral CT Scans, ultrasound, and X-ray. The Stand-Up MRI(TM) can scan patients in a multitude of positions, including standing, sitting, flexion, extension, rotation and lateral bending, as well as in all the recumbent positions used in conventional "lie down" MRI scanning. All other whole-body MRIs can only scan patients lying in horizontal, or recumbent, positions. The Stand-Up MRI(TM) is now the best selling unit in the Fonar product line. General Electric Medical Systems is a manufacturer's representative for the product. Be sure to visit FONAR's Web site for Company product and investor information. www.fonar.com |
