Indigenous MRI Set for Human Trials

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, is set to conduct human trials for India’s first indigenously developed MRI machine system in October. This milestone achievement is part of India’s broader mission to reduce dependency on imported medical imaging equipment and make advanced diagnostic tools more affordable and accessible. The indigenous 1.5 Tesla MRI system (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Indigenous Magnetic Resonance Imaging system

Go to source) is being developed under the Indigenous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (IMRI) national mission, sponsored by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research (SAMEER), an autonomous institution under MeitY, is spearheading the development. The project also involves collaborative efforts from key research organizations, including C-DAC (Trivandrum and Kolkata), IUAC (New Delhi), and DSI-MIRC (Bangalore), which are contributing to the design and development of the MRI system.

India's MRI System Achieves Key Development Stages

MeitY has confirmed that animal trials for the MRI system have been successfully completed. Additionally, several crucial subsystems, including the RF Power Amplifier, high-power transmit/receive (T/R) switch, RF spectrometer, RF coils, receiver front ends, control unit, patient couch, and IMRI software, have been fully developed, tested, and integrated with the procured magnet, gradient coil, and gradient amplifier.

“India takes a big leap in developing frugal and indigenous health solutions, including medical devices, to not just meet domestic demand but also serve the next billion,” said Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator, R&D, MeitY.

The MRI machine is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SAMEER and AIIMS, which outlines a long-term collaboration between the two institutions in the development of high-field and low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) systems. The partnership will also advance research in radio frequency (RF) and microwave systems for medical applications.

The MoU covers five key areas: collaborative research in medical device development, clinical validation of the indigenous 1.5 Tesla MRI system developed by SAMEER, AI and machine learning-driven image enhancement, accelerated imaging research, the design and development of high and low-field MRI subsystems, and RF subsystems for high-field animal MRI scanners.

Highlighting the importance of domestic innovation in healthcare, AIIMS Director Dr. M. Srinivas emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between clinicians and scientists to develop high-quality medical devices. “It is important to showcase the country’s capabilities, and clinicians must work closely with scientists to develop more and better medical devices,” he said.

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India currently relies heavily on imported MRI machines, which can cost anywhere between ₹5 crore and ₹15 crore per unit. By developing a cost-effective indigenous MRI system, the country aims to significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve accessibility, particularly for smaller hospitals and rural healthcare centers.

Once human trials are completed and regulatory approvals secured from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the Medical Device Regulation Authority of India, the indigenous MRI system is expected to enter commercial production, potentially revolutionizing India’s medical imaging landscape.

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Reference:

1. Indigenous Magnetic Resonance Imaging system - (https://sameer.gov.in/tech_showcase/9)

Source-Medindia