New Delhi, Apr 1 (IANS): A new MRI machine that can detect persistent pain in a patient by scanning the body in a standing, sitting and myriad other positions is available in India now.

Doctors at Indrapratha Apollo Hospital - where it was introduced - claimed that the new open-standing MRI machine provides a unique additional diagnostic element for patients who continue to experience pain even after spinal surgeries.

"When lying down, the patient hardly puts weight on the lower limb because of which a conventional MRI scan cannot detect some vital problems and deviations. This technology enables true weight-bearing examination which was not possible before and was one of the greatest challenges to MRI," said S.K. Sogani, senior consultant neurosurgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals here.

By allowing scanning in a standing position, the technology also helps doctors diagnose functional alignments of a patient's joints, he said.