In News:

AIIMS New Delhi is set to install India’s first indigenously developed MRI scanner for clinical evaluation by October 2025. This marks a major milestone under the government's push for import substitution and promotion of ‘Make in India’ in the medical device sector.

Key Highlights:

• MRI Type: 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system.
• Developed by: SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research), an autonomous R&D institution under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Initiative under: National Mission SCAN-ERA (Swadeshi Chumbakiya Anu-naadChitran – EkRashtriyaAbhiyaan), launched in December 2014.
• Purpose: Clinical evaluation and performance feedback at AIIMS to refine the system for wide-scale clinical use.
• Objective: Reduce dependence on imported diagnostic equipment and lower treatment costs.

Significance:

• Currently, 80–85% of India's medical devices are imported.
• In FY 2023–24, India’s medical device import bill rose by 13% to ?69,000 crore.
• The initiative aligns with the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for medical devices, under which 7 critical devices (including MRI machines, CT scanners, LINACs, heart valves, etc.) are now being domestically manufactured.
• 19 PLI-supported projects have been commissioned to manufacture 46 medical devices.

MRI: How It Works

• Principle: Uses strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses to align protons in tissues. As protons return to their original alignment, they emit signals that are captured to create detailed 3D anatomical images.
• Applications:
  • Imaging soft tissues, brain, spinal cord, joints, and internal organs.
  • Detecting tumors, strokes, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Functional MRI (fMRI) maps brain activity during cognitive tasks.

Safety & Limitations:

• Magnetic interference: Risky for patients with implants (e.g., pacemakers).
• Noise: Loud clicking sounds may cause discomfort.
• Claustrophobia: May cause anxiety in closed spaces; open MRI designs mitigate this.
• Contrast agents: Use of gadolinium-based agents can pose risks to dialysis patients.