Easing Anxieties for Kids and Parents Before MRI Scans with a User-Friendly Virtual/Augmented Reality Play Kit
A virtual and augmented reality play kit designed for young MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) patients appears to alleviate both their and their parents' anxiety about the procedure, according to a preliminary study published in the open-access journal BMJ Innovations. The kit, which could potentially reduce the need for general anesthesia, may improve patient safety, cut costs, and decrease waiting times.
MRI scans have become an essential tool in children's healthcare due to their high-quality images and lower radiation exposure compared to CT scans. However, the procedure can be lengthy and noisy, requiring the use of protective ear defenders, thereby making it an intimidating experience for many children.
To address this issue, researchers developed a play kit aimed at 4-10-year-olds to enable them to undergo an MRI scan without general anesthesia. The kit requires adult assistance, as parental anxiety often influences a child's anxiety level.
The play kit includes a cardboard model of a small MRI scanner, into which a child places a toy. A smartphone slots into the side of the cardboard scanner, allowing the child to take on the role of the radiographer through an augmented reality app. The child can then "scan" their toy while hearing scanning noises to replicate the MRI experience. Following the scanning, the child can navigate through various aspects of the actual MRI images that the radiographer plans to take. The kit also offers an age-appropriate virtual reality headset, allowing the child to walk through the hospital virtually, culminating in them entering the MRI scanner itself.
The kit features four interactive games to prepare the child for different aspects of the MRI journey, including checking in, weighing, removing magnetic objects from clothing, and maintaining stillness during the scan. The development of the play kit was informed by feedback from primary school children and their parents, and it was tested on 13 patients and their parents/carers.
Feedback suggested that the play kit helped some children (and their parents/carers) prepare for the MRI scan and alleviated anxiety during the scan. Children reported that recalling elements of the play kit during the scan helped them remain calm and still, while others found the play kit helpful in understanding what an MRI scanner looks like and the noise it produces. Older children generally preferred the virtual reality aspects, while younger children were more drawn to the hands-on and augmented reality aspects.
However, one child-parent pair experienced difficulty building the mini cardboard scanner, indicating that the design may require refinement, and the playkit would need to be tested on a larger scale both nationally and internationally.
According to the researchers, the kit has the potential to be adapted for use in other contexts, for instance, to help children prepare for planned surgery, during transport to the operating room, and during invasive procedures like needlings.
The mixed realities MRI playkit has the potential to address a significant issue within pediatric anesthesia and provide an opportunity for a change in practice, reducing the number of pediatric anesthesias and improving efficiency and resource usage within radiology and anesthetic departments. Delays in performing MRI scans can lead to delays in diagnoses and treatments for children and their families, as well as increased usage of scanning time, further exacerbating the MRI waiting list.
Additionally, a reduction in the requirement of anesthesia for pediatric MRI scans reduces the necessity for an anesthetist, allowing them to be deployed elsewhere, such as reducing the backlog in elective surgery waiting lists.
The innovative MRI play kit, which combines science and technology, not only helps young patients better understand and prepare for the MRI procedure but also reduces their anxiety by simulating the scanning process. Furthermore, this kit, when utilized effectively in health-and-wellness and mental-health contexts, could aid children in overcoming anxieties associated with other medical procedures.
