Utilization of Portable Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging in an Acute Care Setting

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important noninvasive diagnostic tool used in multiple facets of medicine, especially in the assessment of the neurological system with increasing usage over the past decades. Advancement in technology has led to the creation of portable MRI (pMRI) that was cleared for use recently. Methodology A prospectively collected retrospective study was conducted at a single institution to include patients aged >18 years, admitted to the hospital, and requiring MRI for any brain pathology. pMRI was completed using portable MRI. Traditional MRI was completed with a standard 1.5T MRI, and when possible, the results of the two studies were compared. Results We obtained pMRI on 20 patients, with a total of 22 scans completed. Notably, on the pMRI, we were able to identify midline structures to determine midline shifts, identify the size of ventricles, and see large pathologies, including ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, edema, and tumors. Patients with implants or electrodes in and around the calvarium sometimes pose challenges to image acquisition. Conclusions Portable brain MRI is a practical and useful technology that can provide immediate information about the head, especially in an acute care setting. Portable brain MRI has a lower resolution and quality of imaging compared to that of transitional MRI, and therefore, it is not a replacement for traditional MRI.