Fonar Press Releases

For Immediate Release

The Inventor of MR Scanning™

 

An ISO 9001 Company

Contact: Daniel Culver

110 Marcus Drive

Director of Communications

Melville, NY 11747-4292

Web site: www.fonar.com

Phone: (631) 694-2929

Email: invest @ fonar. com

Fax: (631) 390-9540


University of Aberdeen Research Team Using FONAR Upright Multi-Position MRI Provides Research on Sitting and Back Pain; Press Conference Held at RSNA Leads to Coverage by World Media
Title of the RSNA press release is "Aching Back? Sitting Up Straight Could Be the Culprit"

          CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, November 28, 2006 - FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ-FONR), The Inventor of MR Scanning™, reported today a news conference held on November 27 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The press conference scheduled by RSNA featured research conducted at The Positonal MRI Research Centre, University of Aberdeen, Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland. Waseem Amir Bashir, M.B.Ch.B., F.R.C.R., author and clinical fellow in the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada and Professor Francis W. Smith, M.D., of the University of Aberdeen and a pioneer in the original development of MRI technology presented. They were invited to present their findings to the National Press Corps regarding their findings about the proper sitting position to avoid back pain and the proper seating structures to avoid the "straight back" that causes back pain and the correct seating to optimize the lordotic curve of the spine that greatly reduces the back pain syndrome. The findings represent the outcome of research conducted on the FONAR Upright™ Multi-Position™ MRI, where FONAR's Positional MRI scanner was utilized to determine the best seating position to inhibit the onset of the "back-pain syndrome."
           The Aberdeen group described seating structures that optimize the best seating positions according to their Upright™ MRI findings. It was clear to the audience at the press conference that their unique findings would be of special interest to the automotive industry. The findings of Doctor Bashir and Professor Smith at the University of Aberdeen contain the means by which the auto industries could develop customized seating that would allow drivers to reduce their chance of developing the back pathology acquired by extended periods of driving.
           Attending the conference were CBS, ABC, NBC, CTV (Canada TV), The Chicago Tribune, The Globe and Mail (Canada) Radio Detroit and UPI.
           The research made front page news today in the Chicago Tribune.
           Doctor Bashir and Professor Smith were interviewed about this study on the CTV (Canada TV) Morning Show this morning.
           The study was news this morning on CBS Channel 2 Morning News in Chicago and NBC Today Show Morning News in Chicago.
           The event was covered this morning on www.auntminnie.com.
           The Times of London published an article today on www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2475021.html

The important points made by the RSNA press release:

  1. Achieving a body position that achieves a 135-degree angle between the thigh and the spine,
  2. Positional MRI allows patients free-range-of-motion imaging that can determine optimum seating to minimize back pathology, which conventional, static, non-weight bearing, recumbent-only MRI cannot, and
  3. Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States and a major cause of missed work days

To see the RSNA press release visit: www.rsna.org/rsna/media/pr2006-2/aching_back-2.cfm

To see the research study abstract visit: http://rsna2006.rsna.org/rsna2006/V2006/conference/event_display.cfm?e m_id=4435870 (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Raymond Damadian, president and founder of FONAR said, "We congratulate Dr. Bashir, Professor Smith and their colleagues at the University of Aberdeen who have furthered the understanding of causes of spine pain, a very significant medical problem. Of course we are delighted in our knowledge that such a study could only be done by means of FONAR's dynamic, truly physiological MRI product, the FONAR Upright(TM) Multi-Position(TM) MRI.

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 Upright™ MRI and 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 single position, 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.

#
The Inventor of MR Scanning™, True Flow™ MRI, Stand-Up™ MRI, Upright™ MRI, Dynamic MRI, Position™ MRI, Multi-Position™ MRI, PMRI™ 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.
###

FONAR™ Corporation
110 Marcus Drive
Melville, N.Y. 11747
Tel. 631-694-2929
Fax. 631-390-9540
Email sales@FONAR.com
Investor Information

top of page

Site Map | Terms of Use-Our Privacy Policy Use
Copyright © 2006 FONAR- All Rights Reserved