VR system to reduce MRI scan anxiety

With everything connected to a standard PC in the control room, patients control the system by using their eyes. They also can communicate with a carer outside the scanner. The aim is for the system to transform the MR examination from a passive and isolating experience into an active, engaging and interactive one. ‘Our VR headset is designed to be entirely light tight, so that the user cannot see their surrounding environment and is unaware of visual reminders of their position inside the MRI scanner,’ Qian added.

With the patient positioned in the scanner the projector’s system immediately shows immersive 3-D images which appear to surround the user. This continues till the examination ends. ‘Crucially, it means that a patient may be completely unaware of their surroundings during their whole time inside the scanner,’ said Qian.

The research team has incorporated the real-life sensory experiences into the VR environment, such as the visual scene moves when the examination table moves, or animated characters respond to scanner noise. Using their eyes, the user can navigate through the virtual world to select content, such as films or games, and initiate, or terminate, a video link to their carer, meaning they can interact at any time during the scan with a companion via a webcam with microphone and a display monitor.