{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T17:13:05Z","timestamp":1785172385346,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785110400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sci.","Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a central role in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and transient ischemic attack (TIA) diagnosis; however, conventional high-field MRI remains limited by infrastructure requirements, patient transport, and restricted accessibility. Low-field and portable MRI systems have emerged as potential solutions for point-of-care neuroimaging in emergency, intensive care, and resource-limited settings. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception through May 2026. Studies evaluating low-field or portable MRI systems (\u22640.55 T) in adults with AIS, TIA, sub-acute ischemic stroke, or suspected stroke were included. Diagnostic accuracy, feasibility, safety, workflow, and clinical utility outcomes were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using QUADAS-2. Results: Eleven studies encompassing portable and low-field MRI platforms ranging from 0.064 T to 0.55 T were included. Portable MRI demonstrated feasibility in bedside ICU and emergency department settings without major device-related adverse events. Diagnostic performance varied by field strength, lesion size, and imaging protocol. Conclusions: Low-field and portable MRI show promising diagnostic potential for AIS and TIA, particularly when conventional MRI is unavailable, delayed, or impractical. However, current evidence is limited by small, predominantly single-center studies with substantial risk of bias, and further prospective multicenter validation is required before these technologies can be incorporated into routine clinical decision-making.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci16080788","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T16:11:56Z","timestamp":1785168716000},"page":"788","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Low-Field and Portable MRI for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Rachana R.","family":"Borkar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sai Dhanush Reddy","family":"Jeggari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT 06610, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2413-9774","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kamal","family":"Kandel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT 06610, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kaviya","family":"Partheepan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Trumbull High School, Trumbull, CT 06611, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-5519-9753","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nishant","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT 06610, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sandeep Samethadka","family":"Nayak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT 06610, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hasan, T.F., Hasan, H., and Kelley, R.E. 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Imaging"}],"container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/16\/8\/788\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T16:26:35Z","timestamp":1785169595000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/16\/8\/788"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8]]}},"alternative-id":["brainsci16080788"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/brainsci16080788","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]]}}}