Leading neurosurgeons speaking on clinical utility of real-time navigated laser therapy for lesion ablation within Intraoperative MRI Suites at AANS

IMRIS, Monteris & MRI Interventions sponsoring luncheon seminar

MINNEAPOLIS and IRVINE, CA, April 15, 2015 /CNW/ - Three prominent neurosurgeons will review their clinical experience using real-time navigated laser therapy for brain lesion ablation within intraoperative MRI suites at the upcoming 83^rd American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting. IMRIS Inc. (NASDAQ: IMRS; TSX: IM) ("IMRIS"), MRI Interventions, Inc. (OTCQB: MRIC), and Monteris Medical Inc. today jointly announced that the companies are sponsoring the Lunch and Learn seminar scheduled for 1:15-2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 4.

The panel will review workflow and results using Monteris' NeuroBlate^® System, a minimally invasive robotic laser thermotherapy tool, coupled with MRI Interventions' ClearPoint^® navigation system providing precise targeting for procedures conducted within an IMRIS VISIUS^® Surgical Theatre with intraoperative MRI (iMRI).

Veronica L.S. Chiang, M.D. of Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn., will lead the discussion with panelists John Honeycutt, M.D. of Cook Children's Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas; and Eric C. Leuthardt, M.D. of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.

The NeuroBlate System employs a pulsed surgical laser to deliver targeted energy to abnormal brain tissue such as tumors and other neurological soft tissue lesions through a minimally invasive and image-guided approach.

The ClearPoint system, the only neuro-navigation technology that enables minimally-invasive neurosurgery under continuous magnetic resonance (MR) guidance, provides surgeons with a high-resolution view of the patient's brain and real-time direction during intracranial procedures.

The VISIUS Surgical Theatre allows use of the highest quality MR in the operating room – instead of a radiology or diagnostic room – and over the OR table by moving it to the patient with ceiling-mounted rails. The fully integrated suites allow the scanner to move between multiple rooms, providing on-demand access to high resolution MR images – before, during and after procedures, without moving the patient.

The AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is one of the largest gatherings of neurological clinicians. More information about the luncheon and other AANS events is available on the society's website: http://www.aans.org/annualmeeting.aspx. Learn more about IMRIS, MRI Interventions and Monteris by visiting the companies' websites.

About IMRIS
IMRIS (NASDAQ: IMRS; TSX: IM) is a global leader in providing image guided therapy solutions through its VISIUS Surgical Theatre – a revolutionary, multifunctional surgical environment that provides unmatched intraoperative vision to clinicians to assist in decision making and enhance precision in treatment. The multi-room suites incorporate diagnostic quality high-field MR, CT and angio modalities accessed effortlessly in the operating room setting. VISIUS Surgical Theatres serve the neurosurgical, spinal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular markets and have been selected by leading medical institutions around the world. Learn more by visiting www.imris.com.

About Monteris
Monteris Medical is a privately held company developing devices for minimally-invasive, MR-guided neurosurgery. Monteris markets the NeuroBlate® System for controlled, volumetric ablation of brain lesions. Monteris also offers the various Stereotactic anchoring devices for image-guided trajectory alignment, and the AtamA™ Stabilization System for MR based procedures requiring versatile head fixation. Now headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Monteris was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and maintains a significant portion of its staff and operations there. For more information on Monteris Medical please visit www.monteris.com.

About MRI Interventions, Inc.
Building on the imaging power of MRI, MRI Interventions is creating innovative platforms for performing the next generation of minimally invasive surgical procedures in the brain and heart.  The company's ClearPoint® system utilizes a hospital's existing diagnostic or intraoperative MRI scanner to enable a range of minimally invasive procedures in the brain.  In partnership with Siemens Healthcare, MRI Interventions is developing the ClearTrace® system to enable MRI-guided catheter ablations to treat cardiac arrhythmias. For more information, please visit www.mriinterventions.com.

SOURCE IMRIS Inc.

For further IMRIS, Inc. information, please contact: Kevin J. Berger, Marketing Communications Manager, IMRIS Inc., Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]; For further Monteris information, please contact: Danielle Lewis, Lazar Partners Ltd., Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]; For further MRI Interventions, Inc. information, please contact: Frank Grillo, CEO, MRI Interventions, Inc., Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]