The company is a leading manufacturer and developer of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. The Patient Friendly MRI Company, formed in 1978, is engaged in the business of inventing, manufacturing, selling and servicing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. FONAR is the oldest MRI company in the world. After receiving hundreds of millions in a windfall from protecting their MRI patents, they made a MRI scanner that no other MRI manufacturer has. One that the patient stands in and they call Indomitable, the Stand-Up MRI. Patients like it because it is the least claustrophobic, most comfortable MRI on the market. Doctors like it because of its superior image quality and for the first time, the patient can be scanned in the weight-bearing position, or the position of pain or symptom. In October of 2004, the company changed the product name of the Stand-Up MRI to the Upright MRI. Fonar introduced the first "open" MRI scanner in 1980 and is the originator of the iron-core nonsuperconductive and permanent magnet technology.

MRI Scanners:

- 0.6T:

Open MRI scanners have been developed for people who are anxious or obese or for examination of small parts of the body, such as the extremities (knee, shoulder). In addition, some systems offer imaging in different positions and sequences of movements. The basic technology of an open MRI machine is similar to that of a traditional MRI device. The major difference for the patient is that instead of lying in a narrow tunnel, the imaging table has more space around the body so that the magnet does not completely surround the person being tested.
Types of constructions:
Difficulties with a traditional MRI scan include claustrophobia and patient size or, for health related reasons, patients who are not able to receive this type of diagnostic test. The MRI unit is a limited space, and some patients may be too large to fit in a narrow tunnel. In addition, weight limits can restrict the use of some scanners. The open MRI magnet has become the best option for those patients.
All of the highest resolution MRI scanners are tunnels and tend to accentuate the claustrophobic reaction. While patients may find the open MRI scanners easier to tolerate, some machines use a lower field magnet and generates lower image quality or have longer scan time. The better performance of an advanced open MRI scanner allows good image quality caused by the higher signal to noise ratio with maximum patient comfort.

See also Claustrophobia, MRI scan and Knee MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine is a noninvasive procedure to evaluate different types of tissue, including the spinal cord, vertebral disks and spaces between the vertebrae through which the nerves travel, as well as distinguish healthy tissue from diseased tissue.
The cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine MRI should be scanned in individual sections. The scan protocol parameter like e.g. the field of view (FOV), slice thickness and matrix are usually different for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine MRI, but the method is similar. The standard views in the basic spinal MRI scan to create detailed slices (cross sections) are sagittal T1 weighted and T2 weighted images over the whole body part, and transverse (e.g. multi angle oblique) over the region of interest with different pulse sequences according to the result of the sagittal slices. Additional views or different types of pulse sequences like fat suppression, fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) or diffusion weighted imaging are created dependent on the indication.

Indications:

Contrast enhanced MRI techniques delineate infections vs. malignancies, show a syrinx cavity and support to differentiate the postoperative conditions. After surgery for disk disease, significant fibrosis can occur in the spine. This scarring can mimic residual disk herniation. Magnetic resonance myelography evaluates spinal stenosis and various intervertebral discs can be imaged with multi angle oblique techniques. Cine series can be used to show true range of motion studies of parts of the spine. Advanced open MRI devices are developed to perform positional scans in the position of pain or symptom (e.g. Upright™ MRI formerly Stand-Up MRI).

From FONAR Corporation;
in October of 2004, the company changed the product name of the Stand-Up™ MRI to the Upright™ MRI. The Indomitable™, Upright™ MRI is the only open MRI in the world that can perform positional MRI (pMRI), i.e. the Upright MRI™ scans patients in upright, weight-bearing positions, in addition to the conventional lie-down positions. The Upright™ MRI is the only device that can scan patients in the position their symptoms occur, in their position of pain. In early clinical reports independently confirm the effectiveness and potential of positional MRI. In October 2000, Fonar received permission to market the Indomitable™ from the FDA.