The Embrace Site visit at Wolfson's Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville Florida!

In this episode of the Zone 3 podcast, Robert and Reggie Visit Jacksonville, Florida's Wolfson's Children hospital to discuss the Embrace Neonatal MRI System, a specialized MRI scanner designed for imaging premature and newborn babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The system features a compact design, allowing it to be installed within the NICU environment, eliminating the need to transport fragile infants to the radiology department.

Key aspects discussed include the system's quiet operation, thermal environment to keep babies comfortable, and ability to accommodate monitoring equipment and respiratory support. The transcript covers the system's technical specifications, such as its 1 Tesla permanent magnet, single-channel head coil, and user-friendly interface. The benefits of having the baby's nursing team present during scans and the potential for serial imaging to study brain development are also highlighted. The system's installation requirements, such as room size and floor load capacity, are mentioned, along with its current installations at various hospitals worldwide.

Chapters
00:01:11 Introduction and Setting
The meeting takes place at Baptist Health's Wilson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, where the Embrace Neonatal MRI System is installed in the NICU. The participants, Wendy Slattery (Chief Commercial Officer at Aspect Imaging) and others, discuss the system's features and capabilities.

00:02:11 System Overview and Design
The Embrace system is designed specifically for imaging premature and newborn babies up to 4.5 kilograms and 38 centimeters head circumference. It features a compact design with a 1 Tesla permanent magnet, allowing installation within the NICU environment. The system includes a thermal bed to keep babies comfortable, accommodates monitoring equipment and respiratory support, and has a user-friendly interface for technicians.

00:03:22 Patient Positioning and Scanning Process
The system has visual notations and a coil design to assist with positioning the baby. The baby can be swaddled and placed in the thermal bed, which docks into the magnet. Monitoring lines and respiratory support can be accommodated through channel guides. The scanning process is similar to traditional MRI scanners, with the ability to adjust parameters and protocols as needed.

00:05:21 Noise and Environmental Considerations
The system operates at a relatively low noise level, around 67 decibels in the room and 85 decibels experienced by the baby, which is comparable to an incubator. Fresh air circulation is provided through an air intake system. The familiar, quiet, and dark environment helps babies sleep through scans.

00:07:18 Clinical Benefits and Applications
By having the system within the NICU, babies do not need to be transported, reducing disruption and stress. The nursing team can be present during scans, providing familiarity and expertise in caring for fragile infants. Serial imaging during the NICU stay can potentially provide insights into brain development and inform clinical decisions.

00:12:00 Installation and Site Requirements
The system requires a room of approximately 200 square feet and a floor with sufficient load-bearing capacity to accommodate the 11,000-pound magnet. Installations have been completed in existing NICUs by reinforcing floors and in new facilities like the one at Wilson Children's Hospital.

00:13:59 Current Installations and Future Developments
The Embrace system is currently installed at various hospitals, including Brigham and Women's in Boston, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital in Connecticut, a hospital in Jerusalem, and SickKids in Toronto. A new coil with more channels is under development but cannot be discussed further.

Links:
Aspect imaging - Neonatal MRI Scanner - https://embracemri.com/