MRI PIONEER PRESENTS CLINICAL
RESULTS FROM FONAR'S STAND-UP MRI AT RSNA
MELVILLE,
NEW YORK, November 29, 2001 - FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ-FONR),
The Patient-Friendly™ MRI Company, announced that Francis Smith,
M.D. of the University of Aberdeen and a pioneer in the original
development of MRI technology, is a featured speaker this week
at the company's exhibit at the annual meeting of the Radiological
Society of North America (RSNA). Dr. Smith's presentation, "The
Importance of Stand-Up, Weight-Bearing MRI in Today's Radiology
Practice," is based on his clinical experience with FONAR's
Indomitable™, the Stand-Up MRI™. The RSNA, the largest medical
meeting in the world, is being held at McCormick Place in Chicago
from November 25-29.
Dr. Smith is a professor of musculoskeletal radiology at Grampian
University Hospitals at the University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen,
Scotland. Earlier this year FONAR announced the sale of an Indomitable™,
the Stand-Up MRI™ to the University of Aberdeen. The scanner
is expected to be installed in early 2002.
In his daily presentation, Dr. Smith states, "Preliminary observations
using Indomitable™ to image in both the erect and supine positions,
support my long- held expectation that imaging of the lumbar
spine in patients with back and/or leg pain is most logically
performed in the erect position. I had been interested in the
prospect of scanning patients in an upright position for years.
In fact, it was right here on the floor of the RSNA exhibit
that I first learned, to my delight, of FONAR's Stand-Up MRI™.
"Since then, we have found that there is a significant difference
in appearance between images made in the two positions, which
clearly demonstrates the need for imaging with patients erect
in cases of suspected lumbar instability. Upright, weight-bearing
imaging is not limited to the spine. Consider for example, the
knees, hips and ankles. I also expect it will be useful for
the diagnosis and treatment of a host of other types of pathologies
such as incontinence and pelvic floor disorders.
"The extraordinary openness of the scanner allows for patient
positions that are impossible to assume on a conventional MRI
magnet. From my own personal experience, this capability is
extremely useful, particularly in diagnosing sports injuries.
The ability to acquire MRI images with the patient's arm, elbow,
whatever the case, in perhaps the only position in which he
is symptomatic, is obviously the proper diagnostic approach.
I believe the clinical utility of this scanner is limited only
by the imagination of the medical community," Dr. Smith said.
Dr. J. Randy Jinkins, MD, FACR, FEC, professor of Cranio Spinal
Anatomic Imaging Research at MCP Hahnemann University in Philadelphia,
PA is also speaking at the FONAR exhibit. His presentation is
entitled "Upright/Weight-Bearing, Dynamic-Kinetic MRI of the
Spine: pMRI™/kMRI; An Overview of First Results."
Raymond Damadian, president and chairman of FONAR Corporation,
said, "We are very pleased to have MRI scholars of this caliber
and international reputation discussing and answering questions
about our Stand-Up MRI™. The response to these academic presentations
has been very positive and is generating a great deal of sales
activity."