Brain MRI With Patient Comfort

Getting brain imaging can feel stressful—especially if you worry about enclosed spaces or visiting a separate imaging center. The Swoop® Portable MR Imaging® System brings a more open, quieter brain MRI option into the neurology-office setting for selected patients.

At North Texas Institute of Neurology, Rheumatology, and Headache, ask your care team whether Swoop brain imaging is appropriate for your evaluation.*

Benefits for Neurology Patients

• A more comfortable experience. Swoop’s open design and quieter operation are designed to reduce anxiety and make brain imaging less intimidating, particularly for patients concerned about enclosed MRI scanners.
• Imaging closer to your care. Swoop can operate in a neurology-office exam room, potentially reducing the need for a separate imaging-center visit when the examination meets your clinical needs.
• No ionizing radiation. Like conventional MRI, Swoop does not use the ionizing radiation used in CT scans or X-rays.
• Useful information for your neurologist. Swoop provides images of brain structure that can help clinicians answer selected clinical questions. Your neurologist determines whether portable MRI or another imaging examination is needed.

What Does the Research Show?

In the NEURO PMR neurology-office study, patients preferred portable MRI over conventional high-field MRI by approximately four to one. They also rated portable MRI more favorably for comfort, anxiety, claustrophobia, noise, and overall experience, according to Hyperfine’s report of the published findings. These results describe study participants—not a guarantee of an individual patient’s experience.

Is Swoop Right for Everyone?

Not every brain-imaging question can be answered with portable MRI. Swoop is not a replacement for all conventional MRI examinations; your neurologist may recommend conventional MRI or other testing for additional detail. MRI safety screening is still required.

Swoop is FDA-cleared to produce images of the internal structure of the head where a full diagnostic examination is not clinically practical.

Take the Next Step

Have concerns about MRI comfort or scheduling? Ask your neurology care team whether Swoop is an appropriate option for you.

This machine is currently only available at the Plano location.*

Learn More

• How Swoop works and its comfort-focused design
• Patient questions about Swoop
• NEURO PMR research and patient-experience findings
• Clinical uses and limitations