Low-Field MRI of Stroke: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The reasons for increased stroke burden in developing countries are inadequately controlled risk factors resulting from poor public awareness and inadequate infrastructure. Computed tomography and MRI are common neuroimaging modalities used to assess stroke with diffusion-weighted MRI, in particular, being the recommended choice for acute stroke imaging. However, access to these imaging modalities is primarily restricted to major cities and high-income groups. In the case of stroke, the time-window of treatment to limit the damage is of a few hours and needs a point-of-care diagnosis. A low-cost MR system typically achieved at the ultra-low- and very-low-field would meet the need for a geographically accessible and portable solution. We review studies focused on accessible stroke imaging and recent developments in MR methodologies, including hardware, to image at low fields. We hypothesize that in the absence of a formal, rapid stroke triaging system, the value of timely on-site delivery of the scanner to the stroke patient can be significant. To this end, we discuss multiple recent hardware and methods developments in the low-field regime. Our review suggests a compelling need to explore further the trade-offs between high signal, contrast, and accessibility at low fields in low-income communities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 6.

Keywords: MR accessibility; accessible stroke MRI; diffusion imaging at low-fields; machine learning; mobile stroke unit; open-source imaging.