Progress towards a dedicated 136 mT Portable MRI Scanner for Brain Imaging in the Neonatal ICU

Motivation: Premature neonates face high risks of neurological injuries like HIE, a major cause of disability and mortality. While MRI is ideal for early diagnosis, transporting critically ill neonates to MRI facilities is risky, necessitating bedside imaging solutions. Goal(s): Develop a portable MRI optimized for the NICU to provide high-quality, on-site brain imaging for conditions like HIE. Approach: We develop a compact magnet with ~2X higher field compared with other portable MRI scanners. Compact efficient gradient are optimized. Results: The 136 mT Halbach magnet (65cm x 65cm, 313.4kg) achieved pre-shimmed homogeneity of 5,374 ppm in 14cm DSV. Gradient coils were designed with 0.8mT/m/A efficiency. Impact: The 136 mT bedside NICU MRI scanner addresses the high risks associated with transporting fragile neonates to conventional MRI facilities, offering safe, on-site brain imaging in the NICU. This could enable faster diagnosis and earlier interventions, potentially improving clinical outcomes.