?:definition
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A patient conveyance device consisting of a platform (e.g., a sheet of canvas, a coach) supported by a framework on which an individual can be carried, usually in a supine or prone position. Stretchers are mostly used for transporting sick or injured persons. Mobile stretchers intended for use in health care facilities and ambulances as well as portable stretchers are available; stretchers designed to carry laboratory research animals are also available. Some stretchers are designed specifically for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments (i.e., MRI-compatible stretchers) and are made from nonmagnetic materials so that they can be safely used in an MRI suite.
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