The potential of ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging, within dementia diagnosis pathways in the United Kingdom

Neuroimaging bottlenecks are a well-established cause of delays in dementia assessment across the UK.Reference Nicholls, Quirk, Corrado, Swanson, Hood and Essel1 Ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging (ULF-MRI) has the potential to radically change how neuroimaging is used in the assessment of dementia. ULF-MRI scanners use a fraction of the magnetic field strength of standard MRI scanners and do not require expensive cooling or shielding. They also cost a fraction of standard scanners to buy and maintain, are small and robust enough to be used in community clinics, and do not require specialist operators.Reference Kimberly, Sorby-Adams, Webb, Wu, Beekman and Bowry2 A growing body of evidence has described strong correlations between ULF and standard MRI on key measures relevant to dementia diagnosis, including regional atrophy and white matter changes.Reference Sorby-Adams, Guo, Laso, Kirsch, Zabinska and Garcia Guarniz3 The potential for synergy with other technological advancements was demonstrated by Deoni et al. (2023), who fitted an ULF-MRI scanner in a Ford Transit van for a community study that combined mobile neuroimaging with web-based remote cognitive assessment.Reference Deoni, Medeiros, Deoni, Burton, Beauchemin and D’Sa4