Elscint sells MRI scanner to Jordan

Israeli medical imaging vendor Elscint has won a contract to sellan MRI scanner to a Jordanian public hospital in a deal that isperhaps more important for its historic symbolism than its financialimpact. The system is the first sale of an Elscint MRI scannerto an Arab country, according to Jonathan Adereth, president ofHaifa-based Elscint.

Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement in 1994 that endedyears of hostility between the countries. The agreement also openedthe Jordanian market to Elscint's products, and in January thecompany won a deal from the Jordanian government to sell a 2-teslaPrestige scanner to Hospital El Bashir in Amman, beating out bidsfrom GE and Siemens.

Although the Arab market probably will not be a large one forElscint, the agreement is a breakthrough that represents the warmingpolitical and business ties between the nations.

"It was something more than just getting an order,"Adereth said. "It was a milestone on the march for establishingreal peace and relations between the countries."