Low field, high impact: democratizing MRI for clinical and research innovation

Jones, Derek K ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4409-8049, Alexander, Daniel C, Chetcuti, Karen, Cercignani, Mara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4550-2456, Donald, Kirsten A, Griswold, Mark A, Kopanoglu, Emre ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8982-4441, Langunju, Ike, Obungoloch, Johnes, Ogbole, Godwin, Palombo, Marco ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4892-7967 and Webb, Andrew G 2025. Low field, high impact: democratizing MRI for clinical and research innovation. BJR Open Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a cornerstone of modern clinical medicine and neuroscience, yet remains largely inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to high costs, complex infrastructure requirements, the need for specialised personnel and dependence on proprietary systems. Portable low-field MRI (LF-MRI), operating below 100 mT, offers a compelling alternative: low-cost, more accessible, and increasingly powerful, thanks to advances in hardware engineering, acquisition physics, image reconstruction, and open-source software. Reviewing and building upon recent progress, we, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, physicists, engineers, and global health researchers based both in LMIC and HIC settings, present a formal argument for the adoption of LF-MRI as a catalyst for discovery science and healthcare innovation in LMICs. LF-MRI can produce clinically meaningful images and rich research data, enabling population-scale studies in neurodevelopment, aging, and neurogenetics. But we argue that systems must be open, upgradeable, and co-developed, allowing potential for local teams to maintain, adapt, and scale technology according to their needs. Beyond the scanner, we outline the ecosystem required for success: data infrastructure, training pathways, ethical data governance, and equitable collaboration. We issue a call to researchers, vendors, and funders to reframe MRI as a globally accessible technology, capable of supporting diverse research agendas and delivering transformative health impact; particularly where it is needed most.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Psychology Research Institutes & Centres > Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC)
Publisher:	British Institute of Radiology
ISSN:	2513-9878
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 September 2025
Date of Acceptance:	18 September 2025
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2025 12:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181311

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