Portable Low-Field MRI to Detect Acute Brain Injury in Children on ECMO Support

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the occurrence and types of acute brain injury ABI in children receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO support. ECMO is a life-saving treatment for severe heart and lung failure but is linked to brain injuries that are hard to detect early with current imaging methods. This trial focuses on better understanding ABI in pediatric ECMO patients using a novel bedside MRI technology. Participants will undergo imaging with the Hyperfine portable, low-field MRI device, which can be used safely at the bedside even with ECMO equipment. Imaging will be performed within 36 hours of ECMO start, repeated between 72 and 120 hours, and weekly thereafter while on ECMO. Additional MRI scans will be done within 24 hours of any clinical head imaging. This approach aims to track the timing and rate of brain injuries during ECMO treatment. During the study, participants will be monitored with bedside MRI scans alongside routine clinical imaging and care. Researchers will collect data on the presence and progression of brain injuries over the course of ECMO, which typically lasts less than two weeks. The study includes detailed imaging assessments and clinical monitoring to better characterize brain injury prevalence and timing in this vulnerable group.

ECMO ABI Detection With Hyperfine