7. Project Summary/Abstract: Technology for MR brain monitoring Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been the undisputed standard of care for the detection and diagnosis of neurological disorders and injuries since its inception over 4 decades ago. The cost, weight, size, and maintenance needs of MRI scanners, however, typically precludes their use in some locations with perhaps the greatest need - including Emergency Departments, Neurological Intensive Care Units (ICUs), surgical suites, sports fields, battlefields, rural healthcare sites, and ambulances. This has started to change with the emergence of low-field “point-of-care” scanners, such as those developed by our group and others. Still, even these mobile units are not designed to be used as a patient monitoring device akin to how a pulse-oximeter is used. A new approach is needed to create a true “brain monitor” using MRI. In this work, build on our proof-of-concept prototype 7 kg brain monitor, the “MR Cap” to develop and evaluate an inexpensive device that can be deployed, not bedside, but within the patient bed. Once in place, the device can acquire imaging information at regular intervals and alert the care team to changes associated with increased intracranial pressure or hemorrhage. To achieve this, we relax magnetic field strength and homogeneity constraints to allow lightweight, permanent magnet designs (our prototype is 7 kg) that can be held by an articulating arm with no cryogens or power consumption. We achieve image encoding and eliminate the heavy, power consuming readout gradient by using a built-in gradient requiring no additional power and producing no acoustic noise. We propose passive and active external interference mitigation methods to eliminate the need for a shielded room. We will validate the scanners ability to monitor for and detect cerebral mass effects in the ICU.

Project Narrative Although MRI scanners are very effective at evaluating brain disease and injury, their large size, specialized siting constraints, and high cost limit their impact by limiting their use to occasional diagnostic examinations. Our goal is to develop a novel, simplified MRI “brain monitor”; an MRI scanner whose entire weight is less than 10kg and can reach into the patient's bed and monitor a patient's brain continuously.