Turning MRI Time into Movie Time
Innovative goggles help pediatric patients complete scans without anesthesia
For most patients, getting an MRI means lying still for long stretches of time in a loud, confined space. For 13-year-old Elias Dalton, it also means a chance to watch superhero movies.
Diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis and autism, Elias has required regular MRIs since age 5, often needing sedation to help him remain still during the long scans. Now, when he visits Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for one of those routine exams, he slides into the MRI machine without anesthesia focused not on the noise or tight space, but on his favorite movie playing through specialized CinemaVision goggles.
“The last time he went under for an MRI, he woke up and didn’t remember us right away,” his father shared. “That’s something no parent wants to experience. These goggles have made such a difference. We’re incredibly grateful he can now get MRIs without sedation and feel so much more at ease.”
Thanks to gifts from Child’s Play Charity, the Foster Family Foundation, and an anonymous donor through the Carilion Clinic Foundation, the health system now has two pairs of CinemaVision goggles so that children like Elias can watch movies during scans, often eliminating the need for anesthesia.
MRIs require patients to lie completely still for extended periods, which can be especially challenging for children. Traditionally, sedation has been used but requires additional coordination and recovery time, and carries potential risks.
The goggles, purchased for Carilion’s Child Life Program, allow pediatric patients to watch movies or shows safely inside the machine and relax and stay still naturally.
“Our goal is always to provide the most comfortable experiences for our patients, especially our pediatric patients,” said Teresa Crowder, Imaging Manager at Carilion. “If we can help a child successfully complete an MRI without anesthesia, that’s even better.”
The goggles have helped more than 50 young Carilion patients like Elias comfortably undergo MRIs without anesthesia.
As a not-for-profit health system, Carilion relies on grants and donations from organizations such as Child’s Play Charity and the Foster Family Foundation to help provide the very best care and comforts for Carilion’s patients, staff, and community.
To support projects like this, visit CarilionFoundation.org/give.