Alliance Imaging has revved up expansion of its mobile magnetic resonance imaging fleet, primarily to meet greater demand for MRI services from the firm's existing customer base, said president Richard Zehner. The La Palma, CA, mobile provider has ordered six new MRI units, at a total cost of about $12 million.
The six scanners include two GE systems (one high-field and one mid-field unit) and four Picker systems (one 1.5-tesla and three 1-tesla high-field scanners). The company is engaged in fund-raising efforts to support this growth, he said.
Alliance has taken delivery of four of the MRI systems. Growth of MRI units in the first quarter of 1991 has already exceeded the company's expansion for all of last year, he said.
Alliance's total MRI fleet will comprise 50 scanners when all the new systems are on-line. Only one of the MRI units runs under a joint venture; Alliance wholly owns the others. The firm also has five mobile computed tomography scanners, Zehner said.
Alliance received the first Picker 1-tesla active-shield MRI system delivered in the U.S. The active-shield technology is operating well, Zehner said.
"We are happy with it. It works beautifully," he said.
