FONAR Installs Upright MRI in Busy Long Island, New York Medical Complex
Neurosurgeon Says Upright MRI Provided an Explanation of Patients’
Symptoms and Other Possibilities of Treatment Not Possible without It
Business Wire
Thursday February 3, 2005
MELVILLE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 3, 2005– FONAR Corporation
(NASDAQ: FONR – News), The MRI Specialist(TM), announced today it has
installed an Upright(TM) MRI at Great Neck Stand-Up MRI, located at 600
Northern Boulevard in Great Neck, NewYork. The facility is located in
close proximity to three major hospitals, Long Island Jewish Medical
Center, North Shore University Hospital and St. Francis Hospital.
“We are delighted with the reception our new Upright(TM) MRI has
received,” said Michael A. Brisman, M.D., and his associates Stephen D.
Burstein, M.D., William J. Sonstein, M.D. and Jeffrey A. Brown, M.D.,
all neurosurgeons at Great Neck Stand-Up MRI.
“The Upright(TM) MRI is a unique product and technology that provides
the image quality that discerning physicians expect, as well as enables
neurosurgeons, like me, to see changes in pathology based on a patient’s
position,” continued Dr. Brisman. “Moreover, the Upright(TM) MRI is
patient friendly, allowing even the most claustrophobic patients to be
scanned without difficulty. As a result, using the FONAR Upright(TM) MRI
gives Great Neck Stand-Up MRI a competitive advantage in an area that
already has many MRI machines and facilities.”
Dr. Brisman continued, “The ability to scan patients in the flexion and
extension positions is very significant because it allows us to see the
‘complete picture’ of the patients’ pathology. For example, a cervical
(neck) exam of a 57 year-old female in the extension position showed
more pathology than an exam in the neutral or flexion position. The
stenosis at C3-4 and C4-5, not evident on the flexion or neutral
positions, provided us with an explanation of the patient’s symptoms
that we were lacking without the extension study. The extension images
exhibited stenosis at a higher cervical level than we would have
suspected from either the neutral sit or flexion exam.”
For MRI images of the Patients go to:
“Another example is that of a 40 year-old male with low lumbar (back)
pain who we scanned in the Upright(TM) MRI,” said Dr. Brisbane. “His
scan in the extension position displayed more pathology than the scan in
the neutral position. The neutral scan provided no explanation of the
patient’s symptoms or a possible treatment. The Upright extension exam
exhibited a significant stenosis at L2-3, not visible in the neutral
position, which a surgical laminectomy could relieve. Whether or not the
patient chooses surgery, the cause of his symptoms is now clear. Once
again, this additional information significantly impacted my decision
process with respect to his treatment.”
Raymond Damadian, president and founder of FONAR said, “We are pleased
to hear Dr. Brisman’s report. Dr. Brisman has had precisely the
experience FONAR’s Upright(TM) MRI was designed to achieve: a complete
picture of the pathology relative to the incomplete picture of the
recumbent-only MRI, and the opportunity to optimize surgical treatment
for a better surgical result.”
“Dr. Brisman represents another good example of why we believe that the
era of Upright(TM) imaging is truly here,” concluded Dr. Damadian.
Great Neck Stand-Up MRI is located at 600 Northern Boulevard, Great
Neck, NY 11021. To schedule an appointment, please call (516) 478-0004.
About FONAR
FONAR was incorporated in 1978, making it the first, oldest and most
experienced MRI manufacturer in the industry. FONAR introduced the
world’s first commercial MRI in 1980, and went public in 1981. Since its
inception, we have installed nearly 300 MRI scanners worldwide. FONAR’s
stellar product line includes the Upright(TM) MRI (also known as the
Stand-Up(TM) MRI), the only whole-body MRI that performs Position(TM)
imaging (pMRI(TM)) and scans patients in numerous weight-bearing
positions, i.e. standing, sitting, in flexion and extension, as well as
the conventional lie-down position. With over 100,000 patients scanned,
the patient-friendly Upright(TM) MRI has a near zero claustrophobic
rejection rate by patients. As a FONAR customer states, “If the patient
is claustrophobic in this scanner, they’ll be claustrophobic in my
parking lot.” Approximately 85% of patients are scanned sitting while
they watch a 42″ flat screen TV. Our latest MRI scanner is the FONAR
360(TM), a room-size recumbent scanner that optimizes openness while
facilitating physician access to the patient. FONAR is headquartered on
Long Island, New York, and has approximately 500 employees.
MRI Specialist, Stand-Up, Upright, Position, pMRI and The Proof is in
the Picture are trademarks of FONAR.
This release may include forward-looking statements from the company
that may or may not materialize. Additional information on factors that
could potentially affect the company’s financial results may be found in
the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
FONAR Corporation
Daniel Culver or David B. Terry, 631-694-2929
Fax: 631-390-9540
or
Investor Relations:
The Anne McBride Company
Kathy Price, 212-983-1702, ext. 212
Source: FONAR Corporation