We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Compact and Portable MRI Scanner to Expand Existing Imaging Capabilities and Accessibility

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 01 Jun 2023
Print article
Image: An international, multi-institutional project aims to develop a radically new MRI scanner that is compact and transportable (Photo courtesy of U of M Medical School)
Image: An international, multi-institutional project aims to develop a radically new MRI scanner that is compact and transportable (Photo courtesy of U of M Medical School)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology which provides detailed images of the human brain is instrumental in understanding brain functions and diagnosing medical conditions. MRI has become indispensable in neuroscience and clinical medicine. However, a significant portion of the global population lacks access to MRI, mainly due to its high cost, the necessity for specialized facilities and trained personnel, and its massive size and weight, which limits its transportability to remote or resource-restricted areas. Consequently, MRI is predominantly accessible to the middle and upper classes in affluent nations. Now, a compact, portable MRI scanner under development will allow for imaging of brain function and structure almost anywhere, for almost anyone.

The University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN, USA) and Victoria University of Wellington (Wellington, New Zealand) have received National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants amounting to more than USD 12 million to develop a radically new MRI scanner that is compact and transportable. Over the past eight years, researchers at U of M Medical School have developed MRI technology which has enabled them to build a prototype brain MRI scanner that could potentially enhance MRI capabilities and accessibility. The Victoria University of Wellington team's design of a new MRI head-only magnet will facilitate brain studies without the constraints of a large MRI magnet bore.

This novel MRI scanner's small size and light weight will make it easily transportable for imaging brain function and structure, making it accessible to almost anyone, anywhere. The researchers plan to use MRI techniques to generate different types of images required for various research objectives. Subsequently, they aim to partner with communities traditionally lacking in medical resources, such as Native American tribal communities, to conduct a field trial of this technology.

“Future portable MRI scanners like ours may empower communities in remote, resource-limited settings to address health inequities, perform research leading to improved understanding of brain development and degeneration in diverse populations, and improve access to quality clinical care,” said study principal investigator Michael Garwood, PhD, a professor in the U of M Medical School.

Related Links:
University of Minnesota
Victoria University of Wellington

Gold Member
Solid State Kv/Dose Multi-Sensor
AGMS-DM+
New
Self-Driving Mobile C-arm
CIARTIC Move
Digital Radiography Acquisition Software
VXvue with PureImpact
New
Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner
Aquilion Serve SP

Print article

Channels

Radiography

view channel
:	Image: The AI model could be a valuable adjunct to human radiologists in breast cancer diagnoses and risk prediction (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI Model Predicts 5-Year Breast Cancer Risk from Mammograms

Approximately 13% of U.S. women, or one in every eight, are predicted to develop invasive breast cancer over their lifetime, with 1 in 39 women (3%) succumbing to the illness, according to the American... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The AI system uses scintigraphy imaging for early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI System Automatically and Reliably Detects Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Scintigraphy Imaging

Cardiac amyloidosis, a condition characterized by the buildup of abnormal protein deposits (amyloids) in the heart muscle, severely affects heart function and can lead to heart failure or death without... Read more

General/Advanced Imaging

view channel
Image: The CIARTIC Move self-driving mobile C-arm has received FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Siemens)

Self-Driving Mobile C-Arm Reduces Imaging Time during Surgery

Intraoperative imaging faces significant challenges due to staff shortages and the high demands placed on surgical teams in the operating room (OR). A common challenge during many OR procedures is the... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more

Industry News

view channel
Image: Samsung Medison CEO Mr. Yongkwan Kim and Bracco Imaging CEO Dr. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco endorsed a MoU agreement (Photo courtesy of Bracco Group)

Samsung and Bracco Enter Into New Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology Agreement

Samsung Medison (Seoul, South Korea) and Bracco Imaging (Milan, Italy) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to pioneer a new area for diagnostic ultrasound devices and contrast agents.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.