​

The Upright MRI is the only whole-body MRI with the ability to perform Position Imaging (pMRI.) Patients can be scanned in a multitude of positions, including standing, sitting, flexion, extention, rotation and lateral bending as well as the usual recumbent positions used in conventional "lie-down" MRI scanning. For the first time, patients can be scanned in weight-bearing positions and in the position of symptoms of pain.

​

The Upright MRI is the ultimate in openness: the most non-claustrophobic whole-body MRI scanner in the industry. There is nothing directly in front of the patients' faces or over their heads that can cause them to experience a "closed-in" feeling. Highly claustrophobic patients who were unable to tolerate other MRI scanners such as "Open MRI's" have traveled hundreds of miles to be scanned in an Upright MRI.  These patients were greatly relieved to have successfully completed their MRI Examination.  In addition to its extraordinary openness, teh Upright MRI is unusually quiet.  Patients can comfortably sit and watch their favorite program on a TV monitor mounted on the scanner room wall. 

​

The Upright MRI features an MRI compatible, motorized, three-dimensional patient positioning system.  This system in engineered to be fully functional inside the scanner's magnetic field.  Patients can be positioned horizontally, just as they would be in any conventional MRI scanner, or upright, standing or sitting.  An elevator mechanism raises or lowers the patient as is necessary to position the region of interest precisely at the center of the magnet.  The ceiling and floor are recessed to accomodate the system's full range of travel.  For the first time, the entire length of the spine can be imaged in its normal weight-bearing posture, even with patients touching their toes in full flexion of the lumbar spine.

​

The patient positioning system is tilted back (approximately five degrees) in order to stabilize the patient and avoid body motion.  The precise position of the patient is read back through the computer's user interface, enabling the scanner's software to automatically account for the orientation of the patient.  Patients can be positioned facing one of the poles, which enables lateral positioning of the arms, legs and lumbar spine.

​

The Upright MRI employs 0.6 Tesla technology, a proven platform for exceptional scanning speed and high-resolution imaging.  Its patented Iron-Circuit magnet, which accounts for the generous patient gap, strictly confines the fringe field, increasing patient safety and eliminating the need for costly magnetic shielding.  The Upright MRI features a transaxial magnetic field, i.e. the direction of the magnetic flux is perpendicular to the orientation of the patient's body.

​

The combination of a transaxial magnetic field and any of its full complement of wrap-around RF receiver coils is one of the key reasons the Upright MRI produces images of outstanding quality.  Further, its full array of software features state-of-the-art pulse sequences which account for the Upright MRI's remarkable diagnostic precision.