Covina : New Diagnostic Scanner

A new device that uses radio frequencies rather than radiation to allow physicians to diagnose diseases will go into use next month at the $2.5-million San Gabriel Valley Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, 740 E. Arrow Highway. The device, called a magnetic resonance system, will be operated by Diagnostic Imaging Services Inc. of Culver City for the Foothill Presbyterian Hospital of Glendora and Inter-Community Medical Center of Covina.

The system is similar to a CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scan. The images the system will produce are of such detail that physicians will be able to pinpoint brain lesions and identify problems of the spinal column, heart and abdomen, said Ned Miller, vice president of Foothill Presbyterian Hospital. It is expected to allow physicians to make more complete diagnosis of brain damage, monitor inflammations of the spinal column or bone marrow, more accurately predict the recovery of stroke patients and determine how much oxygen is reaching the heart and liver.