Peer-Reviewed Study Demonstrate Significant Economic and Operational Benefits of Portable MRI in Acute Hospital Care

Lioness Medtech AB and Hyperfine, Inc. (Nasdaq: HYPR) announced the publication of a peer-reviewed health economics study demonstrating the economic and operational impact of bedside portable MRI in acute care hospital settings. The study is of important relevance to the Nordic region, where Lioness Medtech AB serves as the agent and distributor of the Swoop® Portable MR Imaging® System from Hyperfine Inc. The Swoop® Portable MR Imaging® System is CE marked and compliant with EU medical device regulations.

The study, Optimizing Care and Costs: The Economic and Operational Impact of Portable MRI in the Acute Care Hospital Setting, was published in Clinical Neuroimaging and evaluated the real-world implementation of the Swoop® Portable MR Imaging® System, the world’s first FDA-cleared AI-powered portable MRI system for the brain, at Jefferson Abington Hospital, a 665-bed Level II trauma center and comprehensive stroke center within the Jefferson Health system. 

Study Design and Key Findings

The retrospective analysis examined 143 portable MRI (pMRI) brain scans performed over a 12-month period in intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department (ED) patients with acute neurological conditions. Using Lean process improvement methodology, the analysis compared pMRI workflows with conventional high-field MRI (HF-MRI) workflows across key performance indicators, including turnaround time, labor utilization, and cost of care (See Table below).

Key highlights included:

• MRI turnaround time reduced by a median of 18.4 hours per patient, with 20.9 hours for ICU patients, and 16.6 hours for ED and observation patients, respectively
• 385% increase in the number of scans completed within 5 hours of order placement; and 29% increase within 24 hours of order placement
• Up to 4 hours of clinical labor saved per scan, primarily from nursing, respiratory therapy, and patient transport teams
• $66,000 in cost savings in MRI-compatible ICU supplies and $82,046 in cost-of-care savings during the study period
• $590 average cost reduction per scan (See Table below.)
• No safety events reported during portable MRI use

The study found that bedside portable MRI enabled earlier diagnostic assessment without requiring transport of critically ill patients to the radiology department, reducing logistical complexity while preserving access to high-field MRI for cases requiring advanced imaging.

Clinical and Operational Impact and Strategic Implications for Hospitals

“Implementing portable MRI allowed us to significantly reduce imaging delays for critically ill patients while also delivering meaningful operational and financial benefits,” said Dr. Michael Lemole, Director of the Farber Institute for Neuroscience at Jefferson Abington Hospital. “The ability to image patients safely at the bedside improved care progression and reduced strain on hospital resources.”

“This publication represents an important milestone in validating the economic value of portable MRI technology using real-world hospital data,” said Rafael Donnay, Senior Vice President of Hospital Business at Hyperfine. “The results demonstrate how the Swoop® system can help hospitals reduce costs, optimize labor resources, and improve access to timely neuroimaging in high-acuity environments.”

Healthcare systems continue to face mounting pressure from ICU capacity constraints, ED boarding, staffing shortages, and rising costs. The Jefferson Abington study emphasizes that portable MRI served as a complement to high-field MRI, providing additional imaging capacity within the ICU and ED while improving overall workflow efficiency. The analysis illustrates how bedside portable MRI can support hospital efficiency initiatives while maintaining patient safety and diagnostic integrity.

Swoop System in ICU

Swoop System in ED Pediatric

The full peer-reviewed article is available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/neo2.70046

The full Hyperfine press release is available at: https://hyperfinemri.com/about/news/press-release-hyperfine-announces-first-peer-reviewed-publication-demonstrating-significant-economic-benefits-of-using-the-swoop-ai-powered-portable-mri-system-in-acute-hospital-care

Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties and may differ materially from actual results. These statements reflect current expectations regarding the Company’s strategy, products, and future performance. Factors that could cause differences are described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Hyperfine undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by law.

About Lioness Medtech AB

Lioness Medtech AB is a European medical technology integrator and value-added reseller (VAR) for leading innovations in medical imaging and therapy. Lioness represent and service world leading solutions across medical imaging, radiotherapy and quality assurance in the Nordic region and select European markets.

Contact

Bernt Nordin
Managing Director
Lioness Medtech AB (publ)
Email: bernt.nordin@lionessmedtech.com
Tel: +46 70 996 0445
Website: www.lionessmedtech.com