New Patent To Dramatically Impact Breast Cancer Detection.

MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1996--Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and every twelve minutes a woman dies from it. Since there is limited prevention and no easy cure for this dreadful disease, early detection is the best defense. X-ray mammography is still the medical technology used for breast cancer screenings, but probably not for long. FONAR Corporation, one of the pioneers in MRI development and holder of the world's first MRI patent, has come out with another medical first. The Company's latest patent makes possible an $80-$150 MRI mammogram using a high throughput scanner to achieve the patient volumes necessary to make MRI, for the first time, far more affordable. MRI, which current research suggests will prove to offer superior breast imaging and cancer detection, could in the near future be used for the 70 million breast scans done annually, which is approximately a $7 billion a year industry.

Dr. Raymond Damadian, awarded the National Medal of Technology by President Reagan, inducted into The Inventors Hall of Fame, and CEO of publicly traded FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ:FONR), is the researcher behind several MRI patents. MRI is a technology that allows doctors to scan the body for cancer and other illnesses. The cost of a typical MRI scan runs between $700 and $1200. With FONAR's new technology, the economic piece of the MRI puzzle has now been solved. FONAR's latest patent utilizes a four-bed carousel system that will allow up to ten or more women per hour to be scanned for breast cancer. A patient is on-deck at all times; there is no down time for the scanner. The four beds were developed to be used with FONAR's new generation QUAD (TM) 7000 and 12000 MRI scanners. These scanners are wide open, quiet and patient-friendly. The QUAD 12000 is the first ever open, high-field scanner.

MRI has advantages over X-ray mammograms. Instead of exposing women to harmful radiation, MRI employs high-powered magnets. With MRI breast imaging technology, the woman does not have to disrobe, her breasts are not painfully compressed between heavy metal plates and she lies comfortably in a prone position on the scanning bed in her street clothes. MRI can scan the whole breast and lymph node area, whereas X-ray mammograms can only scan the breast mass compressed between the metal plates. Any cancer in the lymph node area outside the metal plates cannot be detected by the X-ray examination.

"X-ray has another inherent critical limitation," according to Dr. Damadian. "From the beginning, X-ray has been ill-suited to make soft tissue examinations. X-rays have severe limitations in examining soft tissues like breast. While X-rays see bone well, the soft tissues are a blur. X-ray mammograms rely on calcium deposits to be visible in order to detect tumors. Some tumors don't produce calcium deposits, and some malignancies are not detected for that reason. MRI images the soft tissues of the breast readily and can detect the breast tumor." Dr. Damadian goes on to say, "MRI images are far more detailed and accurate than anything you can get from an X-ray machine."

MRI is also expected to make inroads into earlier detection. X-ray mammograms are most often recommended for post-menopausal women. Traditional X- ray mammograms miss 10-15% of all breast cancers. This figure may be as high as 30% in pre-menopausal women. MRI's superior ability to view soft tissue indicates it can be used successfully to screen younger women with dense breasts and women with implants.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in this country. The medical community has been challenged for some time to develop a superior breast cancer screening technology. Of all the technologies in development, FONAR's new patented technology should prove to make the most dramatic inroads into affordable, technologically superior breast cancer screening.

CONTACT: Lisa Salinas 

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