Portable low-field brain MRI for emergency stroke care
Portable, Low Field Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Acute Stroke
This project will bring a small, movable MRI to the bedside and in ambulances to get quick brain scans for people with suspected acute stroke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241141 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is developing a compact, low-field MRI that can be used at the bedside or in transport instead of moving you to a central scanner. They combine new image reconstruction and machine‑learning tools so images can be produced and interpreted quickly at the point of care. The project will deploy the device in acute stroke settings, compare its images and impact on decision-making to current imaging, and refine workflows for serial bedside scans. The goal is to make MRI more widely available during the critical early hours after a brain injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with suspected acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke who present to participating emergency departments, critical care units, or are cared for by participating EMS teams and can be scanned at the bedside or in transport.
Not a fit: Patients with MRI‑incompatible implants, severe instability preventing safe scanning, or those outside participating sites are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed diagnosis and treatment by providing faster, bedside brain imaging that informs urgent stroke care.
How similar studies have performed: Prior small studies, including work by this team, have shown that portable low-field MRI can produce clinically useful brain images, but large-scale evidence in acute stroke settings is still limited.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sheth, Kevin Navin — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Sheth, Kevin Navin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.