New MRI Machine for Infants: Comfortable and Safe

The unique machine is designed specifically for diagnosing pathologies in infants.

In the intensive care unit of one of the leading clinics in Jerusalem, the latest MRI machine called "Embrace Neonatal" has been installed. Magnetic resonance imaging is conducted right in the unit, in conditions comfortable for the babies: during the procedure, doctors do not use anesthesia and do not put the small patients into a drug-induced sleep.

This is the first MRI machine in the world created specifically for conducting studies on premature infants and newborns. The system has received FDA approval and is already helping pediatric intensive care doctors identify pathologies and health risks for infants, allowing for earlier treatment.

With Care for Infants

There is now no need to transport children from the pediatric intensive care unit to the MRI center – examinations can be conducted right in the unit, at a temperature comfortable for the child. The developers of Embrace Neonatal took into account the parameters of newborns and premature infants when creating it. Moreover, during the examination, medical staff can be nearby, in the same room with the child, unlike examinations on a conventional MRI machine, where staff must leave the room.

Previously, premature infants had to undergo ultrasound examinations four times, as MRI screening on a conventional machine is harmful to the child. Now, with the new Embrace Neonatal, health risks for the babies have been eliminated: "The new scanner differs from the conventional one in that it generates a magnetic field using iron, and its strength is limited by the machine itself," explains Alon Bin-Nun, who is a senior neonatologist in the neonatal intensive care unit at the medical center in Jerusalem, "when using a conventional MRI machine, the child had to be placed in a cool room, as traditional machines use a higher current power."

Previously, conducting MRI examinations on children born prematurely was problematic and harmful for them, so children underwent ultrasound examinations: immediately after birth, on the third day, week, and month. Now these examinations can be replaced with MRI screenings.

Relevance of the Development

According to Alon Bin-Nun, the importance of the new development is hard to overestimate: children born prematurely face numerous risks, including potential pathologies of the nervous system, heart, and brain. The Embrace Neonatal scanner has made it possible to conduct examinations on infants weighing less than two kilograms, as well as on children born in difficult deliveries that are potentially dangerous for infants.

The doctor provides an example: a three-month-old girl, who was born at twenty-six weeks, was suspected of having a brain hemorrhage. Conducting MRI diagnostics allowed understanding that the child's condition was not critical.

An important point: the examination on the new scanner lasts less than an hour, while on a conventional one, it takes at least 2 hours. Additionally, the child is in a room with a comfortable temperature, under the supervision of relatives and medical staff.