Canada’s Early Experiences With Low-Field MRI: Insights From a Cross-Country Survey

What Is the Issue? Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) received a request to investigate the experiences of health care institutions with their low-field MRI units, including portable or point-of-care units, to support facilities that are considering this technology. Low-field MRI systems operate using lower-strength magnetic fields and have seen a resurgence due to recent innovations improving image quality. They can supplement existing MRI capacity, expand access in resource-limited settings, and may be an option for patients who have certain contraindications or cannot tolerate conventional MRI systems. We identified 1 previous study that examined portable MRI use in a remote hospital in Ontario. Our findings build on that work, incorporating data from facilities across a range of settings and jurisdictions, and providing a broader view of how these units were being used in the Canadian context at the time the survey was conducted. What Did We Do? CDA-AMC conducted a survey of the 6 known health care facilities identified through the 2022–2023 Canadian Medical Imaging Inventory National Survey as having low-field MRI units. The report summarizes the experiences of 5 respondents to the survey, which explored the following themes: technical specifications and operations staffing and training needs clinical applications perceived impacts on patient care experiences perceived benefits and challenges. What Did We Find? Respondents provided valuable insights into low-field MRI use in Canada. According to the survey: 4 of 5 respondents said they had access to a conventional MRI unit, and 1 respondent indicated that low-field MRI units are often used to complement existing imaging services all respondents reported few technical issues with low-field MRI units and no adverse events that affect patients or staff 4 of 5 respondents said that minimal training was required to operate low-field MRI units, whereas 1 respondent indicated that more extensive training was required all respondents said that the body areas most commonly imaged with low-field MRI are the head and neck 3 of 5 respondents reported improved imaging capabilities with low-field MRI, whereas 2 indicated no improvement 4 of 5 respondents cited portability and compact size as advantages of low-field MRI units over conventional MRI units 2 of 5 respondents mentioned image resolution as a challenge for low-field MRI units, with another respondent reporting challenges with staffing capacity. What Does This Mean? This report covers 5 of 6 facilities known to have low-field MRI systems at the time of this survey, providing the first national-level examination of their use in a variety of settings and jurisdictions, and encompassing both research and clinical practice. The findings highlight how low-field MRI units are being used — not as replacements for conventional MRI systems, but as complementary tools suited to specific clinical needs or use in space-limited or high-acuity environments. An understanding of the perceived strengths and weaknesses of these units may help decision-makers make planning decisions regarding new imaging capacity.