Fonar MRI patent trial is postponed

The judge hearing patent litigationbetween MRI manufacturer Fonar and competitors GE and Hitachihas postponed a trial date for the case. The litigation, in whichFonar is suing GE, Hitachi and two imaging centers for violatingits basic MRI patents, was scheduled to go to trial Dec. 5 inU.S. District Court for Eastern New York in Hauppauge, NY. Fonaris claiming damages of $362 million from the defendants (SCAN11/23/94).

The judge delayed the start of the trial because the litigantshave not yet agreed on the appointment of an independent expertwho will instruct the judge and jury in the basics of MRI technology,according to Fonar counsel Ronald Schutz of Robins, Kaplan, Millerand Ciresi in Minneapolis. A new date has not been set for thetrial, although Schutz believes it should begin in the next severalmonths.