Peer-Reviewed Study Concludes
The FONAR UPRIGHT™ MRI Could Serve as the “Standard
Procedure of Care” for Pediatric Shoulder Malady
MELVILLE,
NEW YORK, May 30, 2007 - FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ-FONR), The
Inventor of MR Scanning™, announced today, that the April
23, 2007 issue of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging featured
an article entitled 'Upright MRI of glenohumeral dysplasia following
obstetric brachial plexus injury'. In laymen’s terms, the
study evaluated the effectiveness of upright MRI imaging for the
diagnosis of a particular deformity in a child’s shoulder
(glenohumeral dysplasia), which occurs as the result of an injury
known as Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury (OBPI), also known as
Erb's palsy. The authors conclude that “Upright MRI could,
thus, serve as the standard procedure of care in pediatric obstetric
brachial plexus population for glenohumeral imaging.” The
study, which included 89 children, ages 0.4 to 17.9 years, with
OBPI, was conducted on a FONAR UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI
operating at Natural MRI in Houston. Visit: http://mri.researchtoday.net/archive/3/4/2128.htm
The
lead author-researcher in the study is Rahul K. Nath, M.D., Director
of the Texas Nerve & Paralysis Institute and the Nath Brachial
Plexus Institute at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Nath, who has performed several thousand brachial plexus surgeries,
is listed among America’s Top Doctors (Castle Connelly Publishers,
1st ed.). Less than 1% of American doctors achieve this honor,
where Dr. Nath is the only physician listed in the category for
Pediatric Brachial Plexus Management. For more information on Dr.
Nath visit: www.drnathbrachialplexus.com , www.drnathwingingscapula.com
, www.drnathnervetumor.com , www.drnathfootdrop.com , and www.drnathmri.com
.
Dr.
Nath said, "Old technology, such as recumbent MRI and CT scans,
misses significant dislocations of the shoulder, in my experience.
Because of what I learn about my patients' pathology, that can
only be seen on the FONAR UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI,
I have changed my surgical protocols. Examination of my post-surgical
data shows that the Upright MRI definitely improves patient outcomes."
"Using
MRI to image patient pathology in the natural (weight-bearing)
view is obvious,” added Dr. Nath. “The effects of gravity
cannot be seen with other MRI machines."
Dr.
Nath continued, "As a surgeon, I need to be able to see the
pathology of my patients in order to fix their problems. The FONAR
UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI gives me the necessary
image quality that I need. But most important, by imaging patients
in the 'natural' weight-bearing position, I am able to see the
true pathology that gives me the best diagnoses. Because of this
FONAR technology, I seldom use recumbent 1.5 Tesla scanners for
my patients and am, in fact, dependent on the FONAR scanner."
In
the discussion of the results of the study, the authors state that “the
images produced by upright MRI were of equal quality to those produced
by recumbent MRI.” They also state, “Upright™ MRI
has significant advantages to standard recumbent MRI, including
the ability to view glenohumeral incongruence with gravity acting
on the joint, as well as much reduced morbidity and expense in
the pediatric population due to elimination of the need for sedation.”
According
to the authors, “The relative beneficial aspects of Upright™ MRI
include lack of need for sedation, low claustrophobic potential
and, most important, natural, gravity-influenced position, enabling
the surgeon to visualize the true preoperative picture of the shoulder.
It is an effective tool for demonstrating glenohumeral abnormalities
resulting from brachial plexus injury worthy of surgical exploration.”
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, FONAR has installed hundreds
of MRI scanners worldwide. Their stellar product line includes
the FONAR UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI (also known
as the STAND-UP™ MRI), the only whole-body MRI that performs
Multi-Position™ imaging (mpMRI™) and scans patients
in numerous weight-bearing positions, i.e. standing, sitting,
in flexion and extension, as well as the conventional lie-down
position. The FONAR UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI
often sees the patient's problem that other scanners cannot because
they are lie-down only. With nearly one half million patients
scanned, the patient-friendly FONAR UPRIGHT™ Multi-Position™ MRI
has a near zero claustrophobic rejection rate by patients. A
radiologist said, "FONAR UPRIGHT™ MRI – No More
Claustrophobia - The Tunnel Is Gone." As another 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. FONAR's latest MRI scanner is the FONAR 360™,
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 400 employees.
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The Inventor of MR Scanning™,
Full Range of Motion™, STAND-UP™, UPRIGHT™,
Multi-Position™, pMRI™, True Flow™, Walk-In™ and
The Proof is in the Picture™ are trademarks of FONAR Corporation.
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.
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