Alliance enlarges MRI fleet

Alliance Imaging has revved up expansion of its mobile magneticresonance imaging fleet, primarily to meet greater demand forMRI services from the firm's existing customer base, said presidentRichard Zehner. The La Palma, CA, mobile provider has orderedsix new MRI units, at a total cost of about $12 million.

The six scanners include two GE systems (one high-field andone mid-field unit) and four Picker systems (one 1.5-tesla andthree 1-tesla high-field scanners). The company is engaged infund-raising efforts to support this growth, he said.

Alliance has taken delivery of four of the MRI systems. Growthof MRI units in the first quarter of 1991 has already exceededthe company's expansion for all of last year, he said.

Alliance's total MRI fleet will comprise 50 scanners when allthe new systems are on-line. Only one of the MRI units runs undera joint venture; Alliance wholly owns the others. The firm alsohas five mobile computed tomography scanners, Zehner said.

Alliance received the first Picker 1-tesla active-shield MRIsystem delivered in the U.S. The active-shield technology is operatingwell, Zehner said.

"We are happy with it. It works beautifully," he said.