Portable MRI cap for bedside brain monitoring
Technology for MR brain monitoring
A lightweight MRI device designed to sit near a patient's head and regularly scan for bleeding or dangerous swelling for people in emergency rooms, ICUs, and ambulances.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11094916 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project builds on a 7 kg prototype “MR Cap” that can be mounted near a patient’s head and acquire low-field MRI images without a full scanner. The team is designing a lightweight, permanent-magnet device held by an articulating arm that needs no cryogens or heavy infrastructure. Once placed at the bedside, the device would take images at regular intervals and alert clinicians to changes like hemorrhage or rising intracranial pressure. The work includes refining the hardware and testing the device in clinical settings to see how well it detects important brain changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with acute head injury, suspected intracranial bleeding, or patients in neurological ICUs or emergency departments who need frequent brain monitoring.
Not a fit: Patients who need full high-field MRI for detailed diagnosis or those with implanted metal devices incompatible with MRI may not benefit from this low-field bedside device.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow much earlier bedside detection of brain bleeding or swelling and speed treatment decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Recently developed low-field, point-of-care MRI devices and the team's own 7 kg prototype show early promise, but using such devices as continuous bedside brain monitors is a novel application.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wald, Lawrence L — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Wald, Lawrence L
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.