title: An MR-compatible neonatal incubator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a neonatal MR-compatible incubator for transporting babies between a neonatal intensive care unit and an MRI unit that is within the same hospital but geographically separate.
  
  
  METHODS
  The system was strapped to a standard MR-compatible patient trolley, which provides space for resuscitation outside the incubator. A constant-temperature exothermic heat pad was used to maintain temperature together with a logging fluoro-optic temperature monitor and alarm system. The system has been designed to accommodate standard knee-sized coils from the major MR manufacturers. The original incubator was constructed from carbon fibre, but this required modification to prevent radiofrequency shading artefacts due to the conducting properties of the carbon fibre. A high-tensile polyester material was used, which combined light weight with high impact strength. The system could be moved onto the patient bed with the coils and infant in place by one technologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Studies in eight neonatal patients produced high quality 1.5 T MR images with low motion artefacts. The incubator should also be compatible with imaging in 3 T MR systems, although further work is required to establish this. Images were acquired using both rapid and high-resolution sequences, including three-dimensional volumes, proton spectra and diffusion weighting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incubator provides a safe, quiet environment for neonates during transport and imaging, at low cost.
authors.affiliation: Academic Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. m.n.paley@shef.ac.uk
authors.forename: M N J
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Paley
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lait
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D011786:Quality Control; D018570:Risk Assessment