{"id":3976,"date":"2026-10-08T16:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vbhi-institute.org\/?p=3976"},"modified":"2026-10-08T16:51:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:51:39","slug":"vascular-brain-disease-prevention-and-very-low-field-imaging-a-european-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vbhi-institute.org\/en\/vascular-brain-disease-prevention-and-very-low-field-imaging-a-european-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Vascular brain disease prevention and very-low-field imaging: a European first!"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”intro”]The VBHI is launching a pioneering research project in Europe to evaluate very-low-field brain imaging, with the ambition of making cerebrovascular prevention more accessible to patients, including those living in areas far from major hospital centres.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Identifying the early signs of a disease that can remain silent for a long time<\/h2>\n

Vascular brain diseases<\/a> are a major public health challenge. Among them, strokes and vascular-related dementias are major causes of mortality, disability and loss of independence.<\/p>\n

To improve their prevention, one key question is now at the heart of research: can damage to the brain\u2019s small blood vessels be detected and measured early enough, before the disease causes symptoms?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the aim of the research project led by the VBHI, under the responsibility of Professor Thomas Tourdias<\/a>, neuroradiologist, Professor and Hospital Practitioner at the University of Bordeaux and Bordeaux University Hospital, and a member of the VBHI management committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe aim is therefore not to replace the high-field MRI used in clinical practice, but to assess which applications could be adequately served by very-low-field MRI, particularly from a prevention and monitoring perspective, bringing these tools closer to the populations concerned,\u201d <\/em>explains Professor Thomas Tourdias.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Detecting signs of the disease before symptoms appear<\/h2>\n

Cerebral small vessel disease<\/strong> is extremely common<\/strong>, particularly with advancing age. It can remain silent for a long time while progressively causing lesions that can be seen on brain imaging, known as \u201cmarkers\u201d.<\/p>\n

These markers are associated with an increased risk of subsequent stroke or cognitive impairment<\/strong>. They may also be associated with difficulties with walking and balance, as well as mood disorders.<\/p>\n

The aim of the project<\/strong> is to determine whether more readily accessible brain imaging can visualise and quantify these markers sufficiently early and reliably to help delay the onset of symptoms<\/strong> through the prevention strategy developed at the VBHI Institute.<\/p>\n

Bringing brain imaging closer to populations<\/h2>\n

New analysis methods<\/strong>, particularly automated methods, will be developed to identify and measure these markers using very-low-field magnetic imaging<\/strong>. The results will be compared with those obtained using high-field MRI, which is routinely used in clinical care.<\/p>\n

One of the advantages of very-low-field imaging lies in the opportunities it offers in terms of compactness<\/strong> and mobility<\/strong>. One of the project\u2019s prospects is to make this imaging approach mobile and deployable outside the hospital, in particular in a mobile medical unit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The aim would be, if the research results support this approach, to carry out assessments of cerebrovascular health directly within local communities<\/strong>, including in areas far from specialist centres.<\/p>\n

Such a development could help improve access to imaging<\/strong> and make it easier to identify people<\/strong> with early markers of cerebral small vessel disease.<\/p>\n

The challenge<\/strong> is therefore scientific, medical and territorial<\/strong>: to determine whether a new approach to imaging could contribute to earlier prevention while bringing diagnostic and monitoring tools closer to populations.<\/p>\n

A first technological step in Europe<\/h2>\n

To carry out this research, the VBHI<\/strong> is becoming the first centre in Europe to integrate the second generation of a mobile very-low-field MRI system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The VBHI is developing its low-field and very-low-field imaging approach through the acquisition of several systems, made possible by \u20ac405,033 in funding from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council<\/a><\/strong>, as well as by government funding awarded to the VBHI under the France 2030 programme<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The project is being conducted within the Biomedical Imaging Platform<\/strong><\/a> (pIBio \u2013 a CNRS and University of Bordeaux research unit).<\/p>\n

The system used is a Swoop\u00ae mobile MRI scanner<\/strong>, developed by Hyperfine and acquired through its French distributor, UpCare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Swoop\u00ae Portable MR Imaging\u00ae system developed by Hyperfine is the first portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system powered by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

With an ultra-low magnetic field strength of 0.064 Tesla, it enables diagnostic brain imaging to be performed directly at the patient\u2019s bedside, eliminating complex and potentially risky transfers.<\/p>\n

UpCare, the French partner and distributor for this technology, is supporting its clinical deployment and will be present at the French-speaking Radiology Days<\/a> (JFR), taking place from 8 to 11 October in Paris<\/strong>, to present the second generation of this mobile MRI system.<\/p>\n

If the results of the study are conclusive, they could pave the way for new approaches to the prevention and monitoring of cerebrovascular diseases<\/strong>, with the prospect of making these approaches accessible to a greater number of people, regardless of where they live<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

More info<\/strong>: press release<\/a><\/p>\n

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The VBHI is launching a pioneering research project to evaluate very-low-field brain imaging closer to patients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1024,"featured_media":3978,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","category-research-projects","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"\nVascular brain disease prevention and very-low-field imaging: a European first! - VBHI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vbhi-institute.org\/en\/vascular-brain-disease-prevention-and-very-low-field-imaging-a-european-first\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vascular brain disease prevention and very-low-field imaging: a European first! 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