Minimal Motion System For MRI: MR-MinMo

Research question Here we hypothesise that we can design a device that comfortably restricts head movement of adults and children during MRI scanning to improve the quality of the acquired data and therefore improve its diagnostic efficiency.

Background Of the one million brain MRI scans conducted each year, approximately 20% are thought to be repetitions related to patient motion, with an associated reduction in capacity.

This is particularly problematic in England, not only because of the substantial financial cost, but also because MRI capacity is among the lowest in OECD countries.

This makes meeting critical diagnostic goals such as the UK government s commitment to detect 75% of cancers at an early stage challenging.

The most common means of limiting motion for critical examinations is anaesthesia, which increases patient risks including mortality and requires greater scan time, staffing and cost.

Aims and Objectives We will address patient motion in MRI by designing a generic comfortable user-friendly head immobilisation device that works across scanners, ages, hair and body types.

This project aims to perform design iteration guided by patients and radiology staff, while remaining focused on manufacturable designs.

It will test the device in the real world with attention to robustness, infection control, and workflow in an NHS setting.

Finally, it will prepare the device for market by evidencing efficacy and generalisability across scanner types, performing Health Technology Assessment (HTA), and assuring regulatory readiness. Methods The development to a final prototype will occur in five work packages.

This will include guided stakeholder feedback and structured PPI to refine the design, and in-scanner testing with representative cohorts to ensure the device is fit-for-purpose.

This iterative process will overlap with a design for manufacture phase where factors including safety, aesthetics, and robustness will be assessed.

We will evaluate the efficacy of the manufacture-ready device in paediatric (N=120, aged 5-16) and older adult (N=32, patients with movement disorder) cohorts. Through the project the pathway to market will be researched and the health economics evaluated.

Timelines for delivery The design of MR-MinMo will be refined over the first 18-month period of the grant, integrating structured feedback from stakeholders and PPI sessions.

A small-run set will be delivered in months 20-23 and tested in clinical environments to ensure suitability between months 20-34. A manufacture-ready device will be delivered by the end of the 36-month period of this grant.

Anticipated Impact and Dissemination MR-MinMo is expected to provide a step improvement in image quality for head/neck MRI.

Peer-reviewed publications evaluating the efficacy of MR-MinMo will provide an evidence-base for regulatory approval and adoption of the device within the NHS.

A participant and stakeholder report will be disseminated, and scientific results presented at targeted conferences, such as ASNR, RSNA, and SMRT-sponsored events at ISMRM targeted to reach the radiographers who lead purchasing decisions for this class of products.

We will also demonstrate the product to the three main scanner manufacturers (Siemens, Philips, GE) and across a range of UK hospitals.