The project will receive an investment of more than R$8 million and will make possible imaging exams in remote regions of the country
The CNPEM (Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials) is developing the first Brazilian magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prototype. The project was contemplated by the Ministry of Health through the Local Development and Innovation Program (PDIL), focused on strategic technologies for the country, and may speed up the arrival of the equipment on the market. The project will receive funding of more than R$8 million, which could reach up to R$15 million, depending on the research progress.
More compact, the new MRI device could enable imaging exams in remote regions of the country.
The proposal is to meet the SUS’s demand for access to advanced imaging exams, such as magnetic resonance imaging, especially in remote regions of Brazil. The new equipment will be aimed at extremities examinations, such as hands, wrists, knees and ankles. More compact, the equipment reduces costs and simplifies operation. The features were designed to efficiently meet the needs of regional hospitals, mobile units and primary care centers.
“There are cases where the patient needs to travel kilometers to the nearest hospital with magnetic resonance imaging available. And even when the equipment does exist, there are places where it is stopped due to lack of resources for operation”, explains James Citadini, CNPEM Director of Technology and the project coordinator. “Our equipment does not require the use of superconducting technologies and liquid helium, which considerably reduces maintenance costs.”
The initiative arises from CNPEM’s experience in developing particle accelerators, such as Sirius, one of the most advanced in the world and one of the only three with 4th generation technology in operation. The objective is to adapt and extend these skills developed in the Sirius project to the health area. “It is a conscious attempt to apply what we have already mastered in a new direction, with a direct impact on the lives of the Brazilian population”, says Citadini.
Among the projects submitted by CNPEM, in addition to magnetic resonance, a second innovative project in the same area was also sent to PDIL: a national proton accelerator for the production of radioisotopes used in tests for early detection of diseases, especially different types of cancer. Today, Brazil depends on importing these inputs. CNPEM’s proposal is to develop a compact and lightweight technology, capable of producing radioisotopes throughout the national territory .
The projects follow a strategic innovation model, in which the intellectual property of the technologies remains with CNPEM, even with eventual licensing for Brazilian companies. “It is an extremely competitive market, and we want to guarantee technological sovereignty to the country. Our goal is to make this solution accessible to the SUS, without burdening the public health system,” says Citadini.
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. CNPEM’s research and development activities are carried out through its four National Laboratories: Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as its Technology Unit (DAT) and the Ilum School of Science — an undergraduate program in Science and Technology supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC).
