Nobody likes going to the hospital, least of all a child. And if he has to undergo a stressful exam, such as an MRI scan (which requires spending a lot of time in a confined space, standing still for the result to be satisfactory), keeping him calm can become a difficult task. To help young patients, as well as parents and health workers who assist them, new technological solutions are about to arrive: apps and virtual friends that accompany the child and the whole family on the path that will lead them to familiarize themselves with “the great magnet that looks inside you ”, decreasing anxiety and stress, avoiding sedation or repetition of the exam itself.
Improve pediatric imaging
MRI is a radiological examination that uses the electromagnetic fields produced by a large magnet to obtain three-dimensional and highly detailed images of internal tissues. In practice, the patient is made to lie down on a mobile bed that enters a rather narrow “tube”. When the machine is turned on it produces a very annoying noise and the patient for the entire duration of the examination (which can range from a few minutes to more than an hour, depending on the scan to be performed) must remain motionless, otherwise the quality of the Images. Although the exam room is connected via loudspeakers to the room where the operator is, for that time the patient is alone. In short, an experience that can prove problematic even for some adults. However, magnetic resonance imaging has undeniable advantages: it does not use X-rays and for this reason it can be repeated without fear even on children and even before birth to diagnose and monitor various clinical conditions (from injuries following a trauma, to cancer, to anomalies congenital). Furthermore, the continuous improvement of imaging technologies is leading to an increase in its use, so much so that investments worldwide are estimated to exceed 6 billion dollars and are expected to grow by 7% by 2027. The advancement of diagnostic technologies, however, must be accompanied by the improvement of experience, especially in the pediatric age.
A virtual friend
To meet these needs, interactive programs and supports are being developed which aim to prepare children for the exam already in the previous days. Philips, for example, has recently presented a playful app for mobile supports at some important radiology conferences that helps children and parents to familiarize themselves with the MRI procedure: there are videos, augmented reality experiences to explore MRI, and you get to know a virtual friend with whom to play at being the operator who carries out the exam, perhaps helping him to remain still (otherwise the image is not good).
And that’s not all: in the hospital, before starting the exam, children can interact with a toy scanner to look inside some puppets: a way to make them understand even better what is about to happen. The path then continues during the execution of the exam, with the virtual friend who accompanies the child, entertaining him and giving him useful information for the success of the test. Solutions of this type – which create a welcoming, relaxing and engaging environment – have already found space in various centers around the world and excellent feedback is coming from a pilot project that sees Philips working together with the Walt Disney Company EMEA. In this case, we are testing how viewing cartoons (including specially made Disney stories) during MRI can help overcome fear and decrease anxiety. In short, a sort of home cinema in the hospital reserved for young patients.