Toward safer, more affordable MRI for everyone
Official title: Toward unshielded MRI for improved safety and access
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11569032 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new engineering approach aims to make high‑performance MRI cheaper and easier to use outside big hospitals, so people in rural areas or in developing countries can get better imaging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00EB035647-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11569032 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals who need MRI imaging and live in rural or resource-limited settings where standard MRI siting is challenging.
✕Less likely to help
Patients needing MRI in facilities that already meet traditional siting requirements may see limited additional benefit.
What this research studies
This project tackles the high cost and complex siting requirements of conventional MRI by developing a way to reduce magnetic RF interference without needing a Faraday cage. It combines passive and active RF suppression techniques with advanced transmit strategies and tests them through computer models and experiments. The goal is to maintain high image quality while enabling safer, more flexible installation in diverse settings. If successful, this could expand access to powerful brain and body imaging for more patients who currently face barriers to MRI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients in underserved areas could gain access to high-quality MRI without the prohibitive site costs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work demonstrated initial EMI modeling and mitigation approaches, with ongoing validation showing promise for broader application.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kazemivalipour, Ehsan — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kazemivalipour, Ehsan
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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.