Abstract WP123: Mobile Portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging Units for Community-Based Screening for Brain Health

Background: Two-thirds of the world lacks access to brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to cost, transportation, and availability, leaving critical markers of brain health under-recognized. Portable MRI (pMRI) addresses these barriers by bringing low-cost imaging directly to patients in community settings. In this study, we demonstrate how pMRI can be deployed for large-scale, community-based risk screening, focusing on white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a well-established marker of cerebrovascular health and stroke risk. Methods: A 0.064 T pMRI unit was deployed in community settings across Arizona and California. Participants completed a pMRI scan, along with demographic surveys, medical history questionnaires, and blood pressure assessments. Feasibility was assessed by successful completion of pMRI scans in community environments. WMH burden was quantified from T2 sequences using WMH-SynthSeg, a machine-learning tool optimized for pMRI images. All analyses were conducted with Python 3.13.7. Results: From November 2023 through May 2025, 1,311 participants (mean age 50.8 ± 18.8 years, 70.6% female, 81.5% White) were scanned in 12 cities at 14 locations, including community centers, libraries, and retirement homes. All scans were successfully completed. Demographically, 49.5% of participants were employed full-time, 25.8% retired, 57.5% had a college or post-graduate degree, and 52% were homeowners. Medically, 26.2% had high blood pressure, and 37.2% had high cholesterol. Average systolic blood pressure at time of scan was 123 ± 17.6 mmHg. Median [IQR] WMH volume was 6.14 mL [4.67-8.76]. WMH burden increased significantly with age (Kruskal-Wallis H=471.3, p<0.001), rising from 4.94 mL [4.02-6.23] in participants <45 (n=541) to 10.37 mL [7.30-15.78] in participants >65. Prevalence of WMH was ≥5 mL in 68.7%, ≥10 mL in 18.5%, and ≥15 mL in 8.2% of participants. Conclusion: Mobile pMRI enables large-scale, community-based imaging and can reach populations with limited access to hospital- and clinic-based MRI. About one in five participants had clinically critical thresholds of WMH, defined as ≥10 mL. By directly engaging with diverse communities, pMRI offers an accessible approach to cerebrovascular and cognitive health screening. Structural biomarkers such as WMH measured on pMRI may help identify patients who could benefit from proactive vascular risk factor management, advancing stroke prevention beyond traditional healthcare settings.