PRESS RELEASE

May 2006

Stockton MRI & Molecular Imaging is now a registered PET facility with the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR). The NOPR is a newly-activated nationwide clinical database designed for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to assess the impact of PET on patient management. What this means to you and your Medicare patients: Our participation with the NOPR allows Medicare coverage of FDG PET-CT scans for a new list of indications which have not previously been covered.

These new eligible indications include the following: Ovarian, Uterus, Cervical, Prostate, Testicular, Bladder, Renal, Small cell lung, Pancreas, Hepatobiliary, Bone, Connective/ soft tissue, Ocular, Brain, Myeloma, Leukemia, and others including unknown primary malignancies. All indications for FDG PET-CT scans that were previously covered by Medicare have not changed and will remain covered, without the need for entry into the NOPR. These include diagnosis, staging, and restaging of the following types of cancer: Non-small cell lung cancer, Colorectal, Head & Neck, Esophageal, Melanoma, Lymphoma. In addition, non-oncology PET-CT scans for Myocardial Viability and Alzheimer's dementia remain covered by Medicare. BREAST CANCER: As before, staging and restaging of female and male breast cancer arecovered by Medicare. However, diagnosis of female breast cancer remains nationally non-covered by Medicare.

The NOPR is essentially a nationwide research database; therefore, additional clinical information is needed. The NOPR requires that the referring physician complete a short pre-PET checkbox questionnaire prior to the scan, and a post-PET questionnaire within 30 days after the scan. Note: This requirement does not apply for the indications which are already covered by Medicare, only for the NOPR indications. These forms will be provided to you and can be returned to us via fax (209-466-5097). The patient's only requirement is to give his or her consent to be included in the registry. Printed informational material will be provided to the patient. More complete NOPR information can also be found on the Internet at http:/www.cancerpetregistry.org. For any additional questions, including coverage guidelines, feel free to call us at 209-466-2000.

For more information see Current Medicare Coverage Guidelines for PET-CT.

November 2002

Stockton MRI Medical Center, Inc., a medical imaging center specializing in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT), announced the addition of its newest MRI system: the Indomitable Stand-Up Open MRI. This is the first Positional MRI (pMRI) machine in northern California and the fifth one operating in the nation. pMRI represents a revolution in imaging. Until now, MRI images had to be taken while the patient remained lying down in a cramped space and endured loud noises. With pMRI technology, the patient can be in virtually any position - lying down, sitting or standing, or in any position in which they may experience symptoms, e.g., pain in the back while bending forward or backward and pain in the knees while standing up or weight-bearing.

An important aspect of the Indomitable Stand-Up Open MRI is that it is truly an open MRI machine which patients actually walk into. The patient will walk into the machine and position him/herself as appropriate for the scan. In contrast to older machines boasting "open" construction on the basis of slightly increased chamber space, this machine has nothing in front of or above the patient. He/she can sit, stand up or lie down between two round plates and while watching a soothing video and listening to music, the diagnostic images are obtained. Additionally, new technology has greatly reduced the noise associated with the imaging, so there is no need for earplugs or mufflers. In fact, the background music is the only sound that can be heard. This marks the end of the notoriously claustrophobic, clamorous experience of having an MRI done.

Stockton MRI Medical Center will continue to operate its current GE high field MRI System and GE Spiral CT scanner alongside the new Open MRI system. The office is located on 2320 N. California St. in Stockton, CA. All forms of insurance are accepted.

For more information, please contact Stockton MRI Medical Center. Inc at 209-466-2000 or visit its website at www.stocktonmri.com.