Development of a Car-mounted Mobile MR Imaging System for Diagnosis of Sports-related Wrist Injury

Portable MRI scanners, in which a permanent magnet with a low magnetic field is mounted on a small car, have enabled the performance of MRI examinations in various remote environments. Here, we have modified the portable MRI system to enable the early diagnosis of wrist sports injuries among tennis players. A RF probe specifically designed for the human wrist was developed, and a power supply scheme using a small generator was introduced. The portable MRI system was located at a tennis school and imaging of the wrists of junior tennis players was performed. To demonstrate clinical feasibility, image quality was assessed by a radiologist and clinical evaluations were performed. In most cases, the image quality was sufficient for diagnosis, and triangular fibrocartilage complex damage could be detected. The results indicated that the modified portable MRI system could be applied for an early diagnosis of wrist injuries.