BeLow
Our mission is to provide worldwide, tailored, and accessible MRI diagnosis
Who are BeLow?
25+ years in researching low-field MR imaging and Field-Cycling imaging.
BeLow Imaging is an initiative stemming from the University of Aberdeen grouping Senior Lecturers working together on low-field MRI technology and applications, with special interests in:
- low-field MR methods including MR elastography, with applications in metabolic disorders and liver diseases.
- low-field MRI technology developments, especially in optimised acquisition methods and image reconstruction techniques for low-field systems.
- field-cycling imaging research with activities in low-field technology development, physics of low-field MRI and clinical applications.
What is our goal?
More than 50% of the world population is excluded from MRI diagnosis. Due to exclusive costs and sitting requirements, MRI is never considered as a first intention imaging modality, and vastly precluded from screening and triage settings despite superior performance.
BeLow aims to fill this gap and provide tailored and accessible MRI diagnosis, leveraging the potential of low magnetic fields and latest technology developments to create novel and optimised imaging systems.
Customers
NHS Supply Chain Coordination Ltd, Category Tower 7 (UK)
Private Clinics
End-users
Patients
Clinicians
First-line emergency response teams
Stay Healthy with Us…
Have a question? Contact Us!
Why Choose Us?
What Problems Can We Solve?
MRI diagnosis has shaped modern medicine but remains exclusive due to prohibitive costs and siting requirements (~$1M/Tesla for MRI scanners in hospitals). MRI cost and footprint are vastly dominated by its magnet technology, generally using superconductors necessitating cryogenic cooling necessary to generating intense magnetic fields, and exclusive siting infrastructure.
As a result, MRI is a scarce resource not accessible to more than 50% of the world population, essentially inexistent in low- and middle-income countries, and with limited access in high-income countries.
MRI, however, outperforms many other imaging modalities and could be highly beneficial as a first intention diagnosis, but also for screening and triage. Making MRI accessible to all is therefore a major challenge for healthcare and we believe that low magnetic fields can provide an answer.
Benefits of Low Magnetic Fields
Low Cost
The use of low magnetic fields automatically lowers the cost of the system, making it easier to purchase.
Increased Safety
With no ‘missile effect’ (metallic object zooming into the magnet) there is no possibility of burns during a scan due to high-power radiofrequency antenna, and no problems of nausea or passing out due very high magnetic fields.
Low Power
As low-field systems use less power and therefore are easier to miniaturise. which then offers many possibilies for new, embedded systems that can be carried to the patient, instead of the patient being carried to the scanner.
Tissue Biology
Low-field MRI offers new sources of information about tissue biology that make it an excellent tool to inform on tissue functionality, and not only about anatomy. This offers many applications for more precise, personalised medicine.
Why Choose Us?
How BeLow Solves The Problem
Recent discoveries indicate that low-field magnetic resonance can be leveraged as a revelator of pathology in major diseases affecting large populations worldwide
By operating at lower magnetic fields, we can leverage simpler and cost-effective magnet technology, for more accessible systems, with particular care about imaging performance (resolution, coverage, scan time).
Our expertise lies in the development of high-performance technology to address this challenge specific to low and ultra-low MRI, and provide clinically relevant and meaningful diagnosis within just minutes.
The Team
The BeLow team is made up of senior lecturers from the University of Aberdeen with expertise in MR imaging and Field-Cycling Imaging.Their dedication has led to them contributing to the largest low-field MR technology that has been built with an estimated 900m² of lab and office space on campus.
Contact Us
If you have a query about BeLow and what we do then please fill out the contact form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.