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It says the clearance includes head scanning, but could this also be used for things like orthopedics? Current MRIs are prohibitively expensive and bulky for all kinds of things outside head trauma that could benefit from tissue imaging.

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Oh orthopods, they're a riot in the Uk. They won't have much use for a portable MRI. In trauma all they see is the bony bits where CT and XR are king, anything else is someone else's problem. A true ortho emergency is rare and patients can wait for surgery if neurovascular intact. They do have time guidelines to operate neck of femur fractures (still won't operate out of hours though). But an XR is often enough to proceed . A few caveats I can think of... For fulminant infection like necrotizing fasciitis: straight to OR, open and have a look at the tissues. Joint infections: stick a needle in and await results. Bone infections benefit from MRI but there's no change in management while stabilizing on antibiotics, plenty of time to arrange a scan.

Then we move on to elective surgery (planned). MRI with the best available resolution will increase diagnostic specificity and avoid unnecessary operations to labrum's, meniscus, etc. They don't need to be done in hospital and you can shop around.

At this point we're looking for problems to fit this solution, poor business model. Not surprisingly, limb only MRI machines haven't been successful.

Fair points, but my thinking was more for cases here in the US where insurance may or may not cover an MRI of your choice for something like torn rotator cuff, or where you'll end up paying your full out of pocket maximum for it. Cheaper options in such cases would be welcome.

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