A Hospital In The UK Is Using VR To Help Kids Ease Their Minds Before MRI Scans

When I first entered a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tube as a kid, I was pretty scared due to its frightening noise and the small compact space that can have you feeling claustrophobic. Sure, the technicians can describe the experience and reassure you that you’ll be okay but it just wasn’t enough to prep me once I made it inside.

Luckily, Kings College Hospital located in London, UK recognizes this problem and have devised a plan to reassure adults and children prior to entering the MRI tube using VR technology. MRI physicist Jonathan Ashmore and Jerome Di Pietro have created a 360 video app called My MRI at King’s which helps ease the fear of attending an MRI scan. People have the ability to watch the 360 video in VR which walks you through the actual scan.

Kings College Hospital has been receiving many positive feedbacks with the simple help of this 360 VR video that can help ease a patient’s mind. The app is currently free to download on android devices. Ashmore and Pietro plan on releasing their app for iOS devices as well. The duo believe that other hospitals can use this app to help ease their patients making it a more welcomed experience, beyond the emotions of feeling scared.