Fonar Heritage Timeline 1997: Patent Upheld by High Court on U.S. Patents and the U.S. Supreme Court 1980: Fonar Installs First Commercial MRI; Initiates MRI Industry 1977: Construction of First Human MR Scanner Completed, First Human Scan Achieved: Thoracic MRI Image at T-8. 1977: Construction of First Human MR Scanner Completed, First Human Scan Achieved: Thoracic MRI Image at T-8. 1977: Construction of First Human MR Scanner Completed, First Human Scan Achieved: Thoracic MRI Image at T-8. 1977: Construction of First Human MR Scanner Completed, First Human Scan Achieved: Thoracic MRI Image at T-8. March 1972: First MR Patent Filed (3D Serial Voxel Scanning Method). Patent Issues 1974. Spring 1971 First Ever Scanning Method Proposed (Downstate Reporter) Spring 1971 First Ever Scanning Method Proposed (Downstate Reporter) 1970: FONAR archive record documenting Dr.Damadian's discovery of the T1 and T2 differences between Cancer and Normal Tissue 1969 -Realizes Need for a Compelling Application to Justify Building Human Scanner 1969: Grant Application to Health Research Council of the City of New York 1969: Grant Application to Health Research Council of the City of New York March 1971: First Article Published in Science Magazine click here for document 1 Spring 1971 First Ever Scanning Method Proposed (Downstate Reporter)