This unease often leads to fidgeting which can ruin test results.
Because of this, researchers have long since tried to find ways to improve the experience.
One team of researchers wants to take this optimization to a new level.
Thomas Barwick / Getty Images
This system immerses the patient into a VR environment, distracting them from the test.
The August research was published in the journalScientific Reports.
This discomfort can affect both image quality and the scan’s success.
Due to anxiety, MRI scans fail frequently.
As a result, the team then went on to develop the new technology.
How Does the VR Technology Work?
Heres how it will work.
When the scanner vibrates, the VR depicts a construction scene.
When the scanner moves or makes a noise, so does the character.
To interact with the virtual environment, the patient uses their eyes.
They can navigate just by looking at objects in the virtual world.
What This Means For You
MRI’s can be stressful.
For now, VR technology isn’t available for you yet during the exam.
Some places even offer the option to listen to music during your test.
Thats why this phenomenon creates a safe environment for medical examinations.
It is, after all, still an emerging technology.
For now, this newly designed VR for MRIs seems to be a step in the right direction.
However, this is something we need to systematically test with large numbers of subjects in the coming months.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95634-y
UC San Siego Health.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
