The embodiment of low-field MRI for the diagnosis of infant hydrocephalus in Uganda
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Abstract
Compared to
other parts of the world, the incidence of hydrocephalus in children is very
high in sub- Saharan Africa. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be the preferred
diagnostic method for infant hydrocephaleus. However, in practice, MRI is
seldom used in sub-Saharan Africa due to its high prize, low mobility, and high
power consumption. A low-cost MRI technology is under development by reducing
the strength of the magnetic field and the use of alternative technologies to
create the magnetic field. This paper describes the embodiment design process
to match this new MRI technology under development with the specific
characteristics of thehealthcare system in Uganda. A context exploration was
performed to identify factors that may affect the design and implementation of
the low-field MRI in Ugandan hospitals and Ugandan healthcare environment. The
key-insights from the technology- and context-exploration were translated into
requirements which were the starting point for the design process. The concept
development did have a focus on Cost-effective design, Design for durability
& reliability, and Design for repairability. The final design was validated
by stakeholders from the Ugandan Healthcare context