India Joins US, Europe In Portable Bedside MRI Use As AIIMS Deploys ICU-Based Brain Imaging

Joining a select group of advanced healthcare systems globally, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, has now become the first hospital in India to deploy portable bedside MRI technology for routine clinical use, marking a significant milestone in critical care medicine. Portable bedside MRI systems are already being used in hospitals across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries.

The portable bedside MRI system enables doctors to perform brain imaging directly inside intensive care units (ICUs) without shifting critically ill patients.

The ultra-low-field portable MRI device, currently operational at the Centre for Neurological Conditions at AIIMS, Delhi, is expected to significantly improve emergency neurological care, especially for stroke, trauma, neurosurgical, and paediatric ICU patients, where every minute can influence survival and recovery.

Unlike conventional MRI machines that require patients to be transported to dedicated imaging suites, the new system can be wheeled directly to the bedside. Doctors say this eliminates the considerable risks associated with moving unstable patients connected to ventilators, monitors, or life-support systems.

“This is meant for critically ill patients in the ICU. If a patient is unstable, there is no need to take them out of that environment — we can bring the MRI to them,” said Dr. Shailesh Gaikwad, Head of the Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Neuroradiology and Chief of the Neuroscience Centre at AIIMS New Delhi.

The system introduced at AIIMS is the AI-powered Swoop portable MRI developed by Hyperfine, brought to India in collaboration with Radiosurgery Global Ltd. following regulatory approval.

Dr. Gaikwad explained that traditional high-field MRI systems require expensive infrastructure, shielded rooms, specialised cooling systems, and complex electrical setups. More importantly, critically ill patients often need to be transported from ICUs or emergency wards to the imaging department — a process that can delay diagnosis and expose patients to additional risks.

“In neurological emergencies such as stroke or traumatic brain injury, delays in imaging can delay treatment itself,” Dr. Gaikwad said. “For patients who are unstable, transport is sometimes unsafe or not even feasible.”

The portable MRI seeks to address this gap by allowing imaging at the point of care. The system does not require a dedicated room or specialised installation and can function within ICUs, trauma centres, stroke units, neonatal intensive care units, and neurosurgical wards.

Doctors clarified that the technology is not intended to replace conventional MRI systems but to complement them during emergencies and critical care situations.

“It is an ultra-low-field system with lower resolution compared to regular MRI machines,” Dr. Gaikwad added. The technology is expected to strengthen rapid assessment in acute stroke care, bedside monitoring of traumatic brain injuries, post-operative neurosurgical imaging, and neonatal brain evaluations where transporting fragile infants can be difficult.

Experts noted that India faces a significant shortage of accessible neuroimaging services, particularly outside metropolitan centres. Conventional MRI infrastructure remains concentrated in urban tertiary hospitals, leaving many emergency patients without timely access to brain imaging.

“India has a significant unmet need for accessible brain imaging,” said Maria Sainz, President and CEO of Hyperfine. “Deployment at the country’s leading institution signals the beginning of bringing point-of-care brain MRI to hospitals and care centres across India.”

Beyond patient care, AIIMS is also expected to use the system for clinical research. Doctors at the institute plan to generate real-world data on bedside MRI use in Indian healthcare settings, contributing to global evidence on point-of-care neuroimaging.

Dr. Gaikwad said, “For an institution like AIIMS, which receives referrals from across the country, this technology demonstrates how innovation can directly improve patient care.”