by
Lisa Chamoff, Contributing Reporter | March 07, 2022
From the March 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Siemens Healthineers recently received FDA clearance for its Innovision in-bore entertainment system.
The entertainment starts before the patient goes into the bore.
“The fact that the patient is already being immersed in that entertainment before they enter the bore really allows them to feel more comfortable as they enter into that space,” said Jackie Morley, MR product manager at Siemens Healthineers North America.
The display is curved, so that it gives the patient the feeling of being in larger space. It’s also designed to reduce the scan noise while still maintaining sound quality for the voice commands from the technician, and indicates the scan time on the display.
Innovision, which comes with a memory foam pillow, is available on the company’s MAGNETOM Altea and Sola 1.5T systems and MAGNETOM Vida and Lumina 3T systems.
Philips Ambient Experience is a solution that integrates architecture, design and enabling technologies, such as dynamic lighting, video projections and sound, to allow patients and staff to personalize their environment to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Data from Philips shows a 70% reduction in the number of the interrupted exams in 3T MR scanners with Philips Ambient Experience and a 91% decrease in the need for anesthesia for children aged four to six.
Last year, the company announced that it was partnering with Disney EMEA on a research project to offer custom-made animations, studying their impact at six European hospitals, with results pending.
At RSNA 2021, the company released its new pediatric coaching solution, which provides a gaming experience to guide the patient before the exam, said Dr. Julia Dmitrieva, KOL engagement leader for precision diagnosis at Philips.
“The kids are very used to playing games and so this way they are prepared; they are much more relaxed and they are able to understand what's going to happen beforehand,” Dmitrieva said.
The kids meet characters during the preparation and those same characters guide them through the exam.
“The voice commands that come through while they're in the bore is that same familiar voice of the character, so that will help ease their fears and actually empower them more,” Dmitrieva said.
Screens can also be part of creating a calming atmosphere. Sky Factory, which manufactures visual and spatial compositions that create the perception of a real skylight, complete with trees and birds, recently started offering a presentation and online course on The Neurobiology of Biophilia & Spatial Cognition, which delves into what happens inside the brain when people are exposed to an open environment.
