Hyperfine has launched a study to assess the effectiveness of Swoop Portable MR in detecting amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) in Alzheimer’s patients undergoing amyloid-targeting therapy aimed at reducing amyloid plaques in the brain

The observational CARE PMR study will integrate portable MR imaging into patient care at infusion centers and clinics. The Swoop system is designed to provide brain images at crucial treatment stages—before the fifth, seventh, and fourteenth infusions of amyloid-targeting therapy. Such imaging is vital since patients receiving this therapy are at risk of ARIA, which includes brain swelling and bleeding.

Dr. Tammie Benzinger, professor of radiology and neurological surgery at Washington School of Medicine and the primary investigator of the study, emphasized the potential for portable imaging to ease patient burden. “We’ll be evaluating whether portable MR brain imaging can reliably identify brain swelling and bleeding," she stated. The convenience of portable MR imaging at infusion centers could significantly reduce the logistical challenges for patients undergoing frequent scans.

Mass General Brigham has also begun using the Swoop system to scan Alzheimer’s patients, aiming to gather longitudinal data and screen for ARIA events as part of the CARE PMR protocol. Drs. Teresa Gomez-Isla and W. Taylor Kimberly are leading these efforts, exploring the broader implications of portable MR imaging in Alzheimer's care.

Hyperfine recently formed an advisory board of stroke experts to oversee a prospective, international, multisite trial to evaluate the ability of Swoop to identify strokes and viable brain tissues that can be saved.