$1 million to develop portable MRI device

A portable MRI device which could offer safe diagnostic imaging to patients who are unable to be moved, travel or have medical implants is a step closer following a $1 million federal government grant.

The University of Queensland’s Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI) is working in partnership with Brisbane-based electronics design and manufacturing company IntelliDesign to develop a portable bedside low field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device.

The project is funded by the Australian Government’s $45 million BioMedTech Horizons program which supports the collaborative development of innovative technologies.

CAI Director Professor David Reutens said the funding was invaluable in helping progress development of the instrument.

“MRI is a key diagnostic tool in a number of disorders from acute injuries to chronic disease,” Professor Reutens said.

“However, there are many settings in which MRI cannot be used because current machines aren’t portable.”

Conventional MRI systems are large, bulky and very expensive to purchase and operate.

These hurdles mean they’re often out of reach for emergency care, remote clinics and field hospitals.

Project Leader and CEO of IntelliDesign Matt Bromwich said he was excited to see this technology developed.

“The drawbacks with current MRI technology have presented an opportunity for home-grown medical device innovation in Queensland’s backyard – providing a local springboard for this technology into larger global medical markets.”

High field MRI scanners which are used in hospitals are also unable to image patients with metal implants due to the strong magnetic fields.

The technology UQ and IntelliDesign is developing uses permanent magnets in combination with highly sensitive detectors to produce images.

This approach employs a lower field strength than traditional MRI systems – resulting in safer diagnostic imaging for patients.

Applications of the technology will also extend beyond clinical diagnosis to biomedical research, border security scanning, food inspection and geological analysis.

“This ground-breaking technology is the result of a decade of research at CAI culminating in an imaging system which is significantly more portable and ideal for applications not requiring high resolution including acute trauma imaging,” Professor Reutens said.

It’s expected a production-ready portable MRI machine will take around three years to develop.

Media: Professor David Reutens, pa@cai.uq.edu.au; Maria Moran, UQ Communications, maria.moran@cai.uq.edu.au, +61 7 3365 1785.