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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
MHH Pediatric Radiology: An MRI simulator playfully prepares young patients for the examination in the “tube.”
Many children find appointments at the clinic unpleasant – especially when it comes to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. It is good when young patients can be prepared for this and their fear of the “tube” can be alleviated. The pediatric radiology department at the Medical University of Hannover (MHH) now has a training device for this purpose. Children can practice the examination in a playful way in an MRI simulator. It is the first MRI simulator in Lower Saxony. The cost of the device, around 30,000 euros, was raised by the children's hospital's playroom team through a large fundraising campaign.
Cramped facility with loud noises
More than 1,000 MRI examinations are performed at the Children's Hospital each year. This method allows high-resolution cross-sectional images of soft tissues such as organs, muscles, nerves, and vessels to be created without X-rays. “MRI is used, for example, after joint injuries, in cases of inflammatory changes, and in oncological issues,” explains Prof. Dr. Diane Renz, head of pediatric radiology, a division of the Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology. MRI examinations take an average of 30 to 45 minutes. For children, lying still for a long time, the loud noises, and the confined space in the machine are a major challenge. Not all of them can cope with this. If the procedure has to be interrupted, a new examination is necessary, but this time under anesthesia or with sedatives. “Of course, we would prefer to avoid this, because anesthesia involves significantly more effort and also carries risks,” says Professor Renz. The pediatric radiologist is very pleased that the MRI simulator now offers a way to optimally prepare children for the examination. This avoids duplicate examinations and improves the image quality of the scans because there are fewer motion artifacts such as blurring or smearing.
All steps are practiced
The MRI simulator, shaped like a “rocket,” looks like it's inviting children on a little adventure flight. With its help, children can practice the examination—including the various noises. The staff of the pediatric radiology department or the play oasis help them with this. They explain the examination in detail and push the child onto a stretcher into the device. Then they go through all the steps of the process together. “This includes, for example, breathing and holding your breath, which is necessary for the examination,” explains Stefanie Günther, senior medical technologist for radiology (MTR) at MHH pediatric radiology. Afterwards, the exercise is evaluated so that the child knows what they did well and what could perhaps be improved. The MRI simulator, which is primarily intended for the four to eight-year-old age group, has already proven itself in initial tests. “The children get a better sense of time and can assess what to expect. That helps them immensely,” notes Stefanie Günther. Figures from Paris prove her right: an MRI simulator has been in use at the city's largest children's hospital since 2013. There, almost 80 percent of children between the ages of three and six can undergo an MRI examination without the need for anesthesia or sedatives. The pediatric radiology team hopes to achieve similar success at the MHH.
Athletes donated jerseys
The idea to purchase an MRI simulation device came from the playroom team at the children's hospital. The teachers had repeatedly noticed that MRI examinations are not easy for many children. “We looked at the device in London in 2021 and were immediately impressed,” reports Claudia Erzfeld-Dokanikis, head of the playroom. To raise the necessary funds, she launched a large jersey auction – and was supported by many well-known clubs and athletes. Among those involved were the EC Hannover Indians, the Hannover Scorpions, the Hannover United basketball team, Waspo 98 Hannover, the Recken TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, and gymnast Andreas Toba. Many international clubs also provided autographed jerseys, including Lazio Rome, Atlético Madrid, and Arsenal FC. Before the auction, interested parties could view all 70 jerseys on the MHH plus foundation's website and choose their favorites. MHH plus also handled the donations for the campaign.
More donations than expected
The highlight of the fundraising campaign was an event at the Springe hunting lodge in the summer of 2024. Around 400 guests came to bid for a jersey at the auction. The patron of the event was soccer player, coach, and rapper Martin Rietsch. "It was a successful afternoon that brought us a huge step forward in financing the device. Together with additional donations from parents' associations, a total of €35,000 was raised,“ says Claudia Erzfeld-Dokanikis. ”With this sum, we were not only able to commission the construction of the MRI simulator, but also had money left over for accessories and minor necessary modifications."
SERVICE
For further information, please contact Professor Diane Renz, renz.diane@mh-hannover.de, and Claudia Erzfeld-Dokanikis, erzfeld-dokanikis.claudia@mh-hannover.de.
Celebrating the result of the joint campaign: employees of the play oasis and pediatric radiology, d ...
Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH.
Fun with a learning effect: While the child practices the examination in the MRI simulator, it can w ...
Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH.
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