Tips and challenges for clinical use and interpretation of low field portable MRI in neuroimaging

Yingming Amy Chen; Shobhit Mathur; Amy Lin; Edmond Knopp; Matthew S Rosen; Aditya Bharatha

doi:10.1007/s10140-025-02323-8

Tips and challenges for clinical use and interpretation of low field portable MRI in neuroimaging

Emerg Radiol. 2025 Apr;32(2):279-289. doi: 10.1007/s10140-025-02323-8. Epub 2025 Feb 20.

Authors

Yingming Amy Chen¹, Shobhit Mathur², Amy Lin², Edmond Knopp³, Matthew S Rosen⁴, Aditya Bharatha²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Medical Imaging, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health, University of Toronto, 3rd Floor Cardinal Carter South, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada. amy.chen@unityhealth.to.
² Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Medical Imaging, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health, University of Toronto, 3rd Floor Cardinal Carter South, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
³ Hyperfine, Inc., Guilford, CT, USA.
⁴ Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 39976637
DOI: 10.1007/s10140-025-02323-8

Abstract

Low field portable MRI (LF pMRI) is a new imaging tool that holds promise in offering a safe, cost-effective, point-of-care imaging solution in neuroimaging. There are however unique interpretive challenges and operational factors and limitations in its implementation in clinical practice. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive guide on the tips and tricks of interpreting LF pMRI, specifically the Hyperfine Swoop® MRI system, which operates at 0.064 T and is currently the only FDA and Health Canada approved LF pMRI system. This paper explores the operational aspects and interpretation challenges of low-field MRI, such as patient positioning, protocol selection, and the appearance of artifacts and common pathologies. Using illustrative examples, we aim to guide current and future operators of LF pMRI to optimize performance, provide accurate diagnoses, and avoid common pitfalls.

Keywords: Low field MRI; MRI artifacts; MRI technological advancements; Neuroimaging; Portable MRI.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Artifacts
Brain Diseases* / diagnostic imaging
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* / instrumentation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* / methods
Neuroimaging* / instrumentation
Neuroimaging* / methods
Patient Positioning
Point-of-Care Systems*