Dell Children’s Medical Center Adds Portable MRI

In the last few years, MRI technology has advanced sufficiently to allow small, safe, portable machines that can be brought to a patient’s bedside. Dell Children’s Medical Center’s new portable MRI circumvents the need to transport patients away from their care unit, making MRI more feasible for critically ill patients requiring ventilation, ECMO, or other vital support measures. For these patients, being moved from the intensive care setting for the 60–90 minutes that is typically needed for an MRI represents a substantial risk; the portable MRI, however, provides diagnostic-quality images in less than 30 minutes without requiring the patient to leave the room. Our portable MRI’s open design also allows a caregiver to remain with the child during the study, in some instances eliminating the need for sedation.

“The portable MRI helps us rapidly identify and treat an array of neurological conditions in children who are too ill to safely transport for neuroimaging,” said Chelsey Ortman, MD, an assistant professor of neurology who was instrumental in acquiring the technology. “For many of these children, earlier diagnosis will translate into a better outcome.”