Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Receives Ohio's First Hyperfine Portable MRI Systems to Speed Scanning and Diagnosis for Urgent Brain Injuries

GUILFORD, Conn. and COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperfine, Inc. ("Hyperfine"), creator of the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") cleared portable magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI") device, Swoop™, is proud to announce that The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is deploying two Swoop™ systems in the emergency room (ER), and the Comprehensive Stroke Center operating room (OR). Swoop's easy-to-use interface and portable design make it accessible for use in hospitals, clinics, and other settings outside of the conventional MRI suite. The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is the first in the state of Ohio, and one of the first in the country, to offer this technology to its patients. 

"As one of the leading comprehensive stroke centers in the country, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center has always been on the cutting edge of diagnosing and treating critical brain injuries," said Rob Korn, senior vice president of sales for Hyperfine. "We're excited to provide Ohio State with the world's first portable MRI system which gives clinicians critical decision-making capabilities across a variety of clinical settings."

Swoop is able to assess brain tissue in real time which provides physicians the ability to make quick and informed clinical decisions for patients. Swoop results are displayed on an iPad and deliver T1, T2, FLAIR, and DWI (with ADC map) tissue contrasts within minutes. The device also has a lower field strength than standard MRI systems which greatly shortens the screening protocol for patients. Swoop's low field strength also eliminates the need for comprehensive metal detection, allowing clinicians to rapidly scan, diagnose and treat patients.

"The sooner I can acquire the information, interpret the information and make a decision on how to treat, the better the outcome is for the patient," said Shahid Nimjee, MD, PhD, co-director of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's Comprehensive Stroke Center. "We can utilize this system in multiple time-critical situations ranging from treating stroke patients in the Emergency Department to performing post-op imaging to ensure an operation has been successful." 

In addition to the diagnostic benefits, the deployment of Swoop systems also preserves valuable nursing resources, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when Emergency Department nursing staff are handling an unprecedented amount of patients. Instead of requiring a team of three to four nurses to transport a critical COVID patient to an MRI room on a different floor, the Swoop system can be wheeled straight to a patient's bed. And for pediatric patients, this means that parents can stay by their bedside while their children get their life-saving scans.

To date, the Hyperfine Swoop Portable MRI System has been deployed in many well-known hospitals across the country including Yale New Haven Hospital, UCI Medical Center and the University of Illinois, Chicago's Surgical Innovation Training Lab (SITL). The Swoop system is also a fraction of the cost of a traditional MRI unit, which helps hospitals and patients save valuable time and financial resources.

For more information about the Hyperfine Swoop Portable MRI System, please visit http://www.hyperfine.io 

Video and photos available for download: https://app.box.com/folder/145326942343?s=jle280tfv1br6kh9zx2r0p0pbw8osd71 

About Hyperfine and the Swoop™ Portable MRI System
Hyperfine's mission is to make MRI accessible to every patient, regardless of income or resources. Anytime. Anywhere. Hyperfine designed the Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System to overcome patient transport and dedicated room requirements associated with fixed conventional MRI systems. The Swoop™ system plugs into a standard electrical outlet, uses an Apple iPad® for control, and produces images at a patient's bedside within minutes, allowing care teams to gain clinical information quickly. Fierce Medtech recently recognized Hyperfine as a 2020 Fierce 15 company for its innovative and creative approach to developing solutions for healthcare providers and patients. Hyperfine is part of 4Catalyzer, a portfolio of health technology companies with facilities in Connecticut, New York City, California, and Taiwan.

SOURCE Hyperfine Inc