Experience from planning and operationalising a 0.55 T MRI system in a resource-constrained setting

Motivation: To examine the technical and operational feasibility of a commercial 0.55T MRI in a rural healthcare setting. Goal(s): To establish the operational concepts required for a self-sufficient and reliable 0.55T MRI service within a severely resource-constrained environment. Approach: Tested the outcome of an operational model as part of prospectively enrolling 136 patients at a rural health center by evaluating scan quality, patient satisfaction, and MRI technologists' acceptance. Results: MRI-naive technologists were able to begin scanning self-sufficiently after training on only 37 patients with the diagnostic quality being rated as good and excellent by radiologists for all cases. Impact: This study demonstrates that low-field MRI can meet essential diagnostic needs in rural settings, reducing travel and enabling timely care. Findings support the broader adoption of 0.55T MRI to improve access and early detection of actionable findings in resource-limited areas.