When I had my first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a child, I was very frightened by the noise. I was also horrified by the small space in which they wanted to put me. An attack of claustrophobia began as soon as I saw this huge pipe.
Of course, the medical staff assured me that it was not scary at all and that everything would be all right. But these dubious arguments hardly reassured me.
In the UK, this problem is familiar firsthand. Specialists at King's College Hospital in London have found a unique way to calm adults and children before entering the cylindrical MRI tube.
The essence of the plan is to use Virtual Reality technology. Physicist Jonathan Ashmore and Jerome Di Pietro have created 3,600 video apps called MRI at King's to overcome the fear of getting an MRI scan.
Patients now have the opportunity to watch VR videos that will literally walk you through the actual scan.
King's College Hospital has received many positive reviews from grateful patients who have used the app. You can download it for free on any Android device. Ashmore and Pietro also plan to release their apps for iOS devices. Scientists believe that other hospitals can use this application to help their patients undergo an MRI procedure more comfortably and relaxed.
