On-site construction of a point-of-care low-field MRI system in Africa.
NMR Biomed
; 36(7): e4917, 2023 07.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36914258
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To describe the construction and testing of a portable point-of-care low-field MRI system on site in Africa.METHODS:
All of the components to assemble a 50 mT Halbach magnet-based system, together with the necessary tools, were air-freighted from the Netherlands to Uganda. The construction steps included individual magnet sorting, filling of each ring of the magnet assembly, fine-tuning the inter-ring separations of the 23-ring magnet assembly, gradient coil construction, integration of gradient coils and magnet assembly, construction of the portable aluminum trolley and finally testing of the entire system with an open source MR spectrometer.RESULTS:
With four instructors and six untrained personnel, the complete project from delivery to first image took approximately 11 days.CONCLUSIONS:
An important step in translating scientific developments in the western world from high-income industrialized countries to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is to produce technology that can be assembled and ultimately constructed locally. Local assembly and construction are associated with skill development, low costs and jobs. Point-of-care systems have a large potential to increase the accessibility and sustainability of MRI in LMICs, and this work demonstrates that technology and knowledge transfer can be performed relatively seamlessly.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Imagen por Resonancia Magnética
/
Sistemas de Atención de Punto
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
NMR Biomed
Asunto de la revista:
DIAGNOSTICO POR IMAGEM
/
MEDICINA NUCLEAR
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Uganda
Pais de publicación:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
/
GB
/
GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
/
SCOTLAND
/
UK
/
UNITED KINGDOM