Billings Receives New 3D Laser-Scanning Technology Media Invited to Experience Laser, Meet Area's First Patient Recipient, Meet Local Practitioner Certified in the Technology BILLINGS, Mont., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- A red laser swipes over a part of your body and a three-dimensional replica, accurate to within one millimeter, instantly appears on a computer screen in front of your eyes. Sounds like a scene out of the latest science fiction movie, doesn't it? Well, it's not; it's the latest patient treatment experience right here in Billings. Thanks to a newly developed motion-tracking laser scanner and 3D software called Insignia, Billings residents needing prosthetic and orthotic care can experience a medical advancement that is revolutionizing patient treatment. On Thursday, September 30 media are invited to experience the new technology firsthand, see live demonstrations, meet the area's first recipient of the technology, and meet with Billing's first Insignia-certified practitioners. Thursday, September 30, 2004 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc. (locally Montana O & P) 3400 1st Ave. North Billings, MT 59101 406-252-5833 * Live demonstrations of the Insignia scanning process versus the traditional plaster casting method at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. What does it do? When an amputee needs a prosthetic device to replace an arm or leg, or when a patient needs an orthotic brace such as a spinal jacket or cranial helmet, a practitioner must obtain a representation of the patient's body part in order to develop a custom-fitting prosthetic or orthotic device. In the past, this has largely been done using a messy, invasive, and often inconsistent method of plaster casting. Insignia offers a faster, cleaner, and less invasive alternative. Using the laser scanner, a highly accurate three-dimensional replica can be captured within seconds. Traditional casting methods can take up to thirty minutes and require the patient to be wrapped in wet, messy plaster. Meet one of Billing's first patients to be fit with Insignia, Mark Shockley. Billings, MT resident Mark Shockley is a below the knee amputee who has been fit with both the traditional plaster casting method as well being fit with Insignia. "Insignia is a big improvement over plaster casting. There is less mess and it's so fast and easy," said Shockley. Shockley will be on site for demonstrations and interviews. DATASOURCE: Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. CONTACT: Desiree Voinche of Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc., +1-301-399-8742, or Web site: http://www.hanger.com/

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