Portable MRI machine could revolutionize health care, Ontario doctors say (2022)

[Pyrrhus]

Portable MRI machine could revolutionize health care, Ontario doctors say
https://globalnews.ca/news/8752465/portable-mri-machine/

When I was studying bioimaging, it was thought that MRI could only be performed with very high-strength magnets that required dedicated facilities.

Then a new paper came out where someone cleverly discovered a way to do basic MRI images with a low-field magnet and some smart computations to correct for low-field inconsistencies. I've been waiting for someone to commercial this "hack" and it seems like someone may now have done just that.

If this technology works out, you could soon have the ability to do a quick brain MRI in any doctor's office!

TORONTO — A portable MRI machine that brings imaging to a patient’s bedside has the potential to revolutionize health care both in major hospitals and in remote areas of the country, doctors say.

Swoop, a portable MRI scanner created by Hyperfine in the U.S., can be wheeled to patients to perform the scan instead of the other way around.

“This is a game-changer. It truly is,” said Dr. Tim Dowdell, the radiologist-in-chief with St. Michael’s Hospital, which received the machine at the end of March. “This is the disruptive technology that we need right now.”

 

[sunshine44]

this would be incredible...would it change the type of apparatus they use as well i wonder?

 

[Alvin2]

It adds convenience and time saving (and capacity) but its like a Geiger counter compared to a high resolution MRI imo.

 

[Wishful]

Sounds very useful. A limited quick/cheap scan can be a lot more useful than a high-res scan that you can't get access for. My guess is that there will be a series of machines with higher field strengths, offering a trade-off between image quality and expense/convenience. Options are good.l