Karachi: The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Karachi has introduced a state-of-the-art portable MRI machine in its Children’s Ward, providing critically ill children with access to advanced diagnostic imaging without requiring them to leave their beds.
The facility is particularly useful for children receiving intensive care or those dependent on ventilators. In such cases, moving a patient from the ward to a conventional MRI room can involve additional medical and logistical risks. The portable system allows healthcare teams to perform MRI scans closer to the patient while continuing necessary monitoring and treatment.
Reportedly costing around Rs. 500 million, the advanced facility is being described as Pakistan’s only portable MRI setup of its kind in a pediatric ward. It is expected to support doctors in obtaining timely and accurate diagnostic information, which can be important when managing critically ill children.
Medical experts say the technology could help improve patient safety and streamline the diagnostic process by reducing the need to transport unstable pediatric patients across the hospital.
The introduction of portable MRI technology marks a significant development in pediatric healthcare and reflects the growing use of advanced medical technology to support critical care services in Pakistan.
