Prototype of miniature MRI scanner tested in Sheffield

The Jessop Wing Maternity Hospital in Sheffield has installed a prototype miniature MRI scanner for newborns – one of only two of its type in the world. It is part of a two-year research project into the feasibility and benefits of scanning babies in the neonatal unit.

Paul Griffiths, Professor of Radiology at the University of Sheffield and Honorary Consultant at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Martyn Paley, Professor of MR Physics at the University of Sheffield, have been working on the concept and design of the scanner for 12 years.

It is considerably smaller than a standard MRI scanner, meaning it can be situated within or close to the neonatal unit, enabling infants to be scanned on the unit rather than having to be transported to the main radiology department, thus reducing the risks and difficulties associated with moving vulnerable newborn babies, while providing more detailed clinical information than a bedside ultrasound scan.

The project is a collaboration between Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Sheffield, GE Healthcare and the Wellcome Trust. If it is a success, and the quality of the images and data and clinical benefits are proven, it is hoped the scanner will be granted the relevant approvals to enable it to be used on a routine clinical basis in years to come.