Low field, high impact: democratizing MRI for clinical and research innovation

Abstract

MRI is a cornerstone of modern clinical medicine and neuroscience, yet it remains largely inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to high costs, complex infrastructure requirements, the need for specialized personnel, and dependence on proprietary systems. Portable low-field MRI (LF-MRI), operating below 100 mT, offers a compelling alternative: low-cost, more accessible, and increasingly powerful, thanks to advances in hardware engineering, acquisition physics, image reconstruction, and open-source software. Reviewing and building upon recent progress, we, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, physicists, engineers, and global health researchers based both in LMIC and HIC settings, present a formal argument for the adoption of LF-MRI as a catalyst for discovery science and healthcare innovation in LMICs. LF-MRI can produce clinically meaningful images and rich research data, enabling population-scale studies in neurodevelopment, ageing, and neurogenetics. But we argue that systems must be open, upgradeable, and co-developed, allowing potential for local teams to maintain, adapt, and scale technology according to their needs. Beyond the scanner, we outline the ecosystem required for success: data infrastructure, training pathways, ethical data governance, and equitable collaboration. We issue a call to researchers, vendors, and funders to reframe MRI as a globally accessible technology, capable of supporting diverse research agendas and delivering transformative health impact, particularly where it is needed most.