POC MRI Helps Evaluate Intracerebral Hemorrhage

A new study confirms that portable magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) can scan for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) at the point-of-care (POC).

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine (New Haven, CT, USA) and Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH; CT, USA) conducted a study involving 144 pMRI examinations (56 ICH, 48 acute ischemic stroke, 40 healthy controls) taken at the bedside at YNHH from July 2018 to November 2020, and compared them to traditional neuroimaging scans (non-contrast computerized tomography (CT) or 1.5/3 T MRI) to examine the efficacy of the Hyperfine Research (Guilford, CT, USA) Swoop low-field (0.064 T) pMRI device.


Two neuroradiologists evaluated all pMRI scans, with one ICH imaging core lab researcher reviewing the cases of disagreement. The raters correctly detected ICH in 45 of 56 cases (80.4%), and blood-negative cases were correctly identified in 85 of 88 cases (96.6%). Manually segmented hematoma volumes and ABC/2 formula for estimated volumes on pMRI correlated with conventional imaging volumes. Hematoma volumes measured on pMRI at discharge also correlated with manual and ABC/2 volumes. The study was published on August 25, 2021, in Nature Communications.

“There is no question this device can help save lives in resource-limited settings, such as rural hospitals or developing countries,” said senior author professor of neurology and neurosurgery Kevin Sheth, MD, of Yale School of Medicine. “There is also now a path to see how it can help in modern settings. It is of critical importance to continue to collect more data across a range of stroke characteristics so that we can maximize the potential benefit of this approach.”

The Swoop pMRI is a low-field system that features standard permanent magnets that require no power or cooling systems, producing an image using low-power radio waves and magnetic fields instead. The Swoop is controlled via a tablet device, using sequences and protocols selected from a playlist. As a result, the system is 10X lower in weight than current fixed conventional MRI systems, costs a fraction of the price, is highly portable, and plugs directly into a standard electrical wall outlet, with 35X lower power consumption.

Related Links:
Yale School of Medicine
Yale New Haven Hospital
Hyperfine Research