Bringing advanced imaging to patients around the world - Children's National

Children's National is helping usher in a new MRI revolution ― one with the power to bring life-changing medical imaging to families around the world.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has long let doctors peer deep inside the brain and other delicate organs in breathtaking detail without an incision or dose of radiation. Yet, for decades, MRI has been limited to major medical centers with the space, staff and resources to house machines that can weigh tons and cost millions. That could soon change.

Cheaper, lighter and faster

A research team at Children's National is experimenting with new ways to expand access to MRI for kids. They are using artificial intelligence (AI) with an affordable, portable and commercially available MRI machine called the Hyperfine Swoop. This ultra-low-field scanner can roll into nearly any care setting and plug into a wall outlet. This includes operating rooms and intensive care units, which are highly sensitive to the strong magnets in traditional MRIs.

"The Hyperfine Swoop is 20 times lighter and multiple times cheaper than a regular MRI. It does not require sedation. We can scan a patient in as little as two minutes," says Marius George Linguraru, DPhil, MA, MSc, director of the Division of AI Research and the Connor Family Professor of Research and Innovation. Dr. Linguraru is also a principal investigator at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation.

A clearer view with AI

Recognizing the vast potential to benefit more children, Dr. Linguraru's team tests AI algorithms that sharpen the blurry images these portable machines produce. Thousands of data points help clarify pictures of a child's brain. Intricate nuances emerge that approach the quality of a typical MRI.

The Gates Foundation invests in this work through its Ultra-Low Field Neuroimaging in the Young (UNITY) project. This research network links dozens of hospitals and research centers worldwide. UNITY is evaluating the tool for infant brain scanning and global health research into hunger, infectious diseases and other global conditions.

"We have reviewed thousands of cases, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. AI is the biggest technological leapfrog to enhance care for children everywhere," Dr. Linguraru says. "Many children in low-resource countries will benefit from powerful medical imaging."

Better care for kids

At Children's National, doctors use the Hyperfine Swoop and Dr. Linguraru's AI on an experimental basis. "One millimeter of precision can make all the difference for a child's health," says Daniel Donoho, MD, a neurosurgeon who has used the device on around 100 patients over three years.

His patients with brain and spine disorders are often too delicate to move and endure a lengthy traditional MRI scan. The portable scanner is a game-changer for them.

Dr. Donoho also works with Dr. Linguraru to test the technology, thanks to a special $100,000 global health grant from the Children's National Research Institute. In addition to bringing this imaging to new parts of the hospital, they hope to extend testing around the world, including to Tanzania and Ethiopia.

"This technology could extend access to MRI imaging for around 5 billion people," Dr. Donoho says. "The potential is massive."

Read more stories like this one in the latest issue of Believe magazine.