Royal Philips and The Walt Disney Company announced this week that Disney characters and stories are being built directly into the Philips Ambient Experience for MRI. The technology is being rolled out at medical facilities across 87 countries worldwide to support children undergoing imaging procedures.
The launch began this week in the US and the UK, along with a handful of other countries. The goal is to shift a child’s attention away from the clinical setting and make the scan less frightening.
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Why MRI scans are hard for children
MRI scans can be challenging for young children. Entering a large, unfamiliar machine that makes loud noises, combined with the need to lie perfectly still for up to 40 minutes, can be intimidating.
In fact, 66% of pediatric patients report feeling anxious during MRI scans. This anxiety or claustrophobia can lead to re-scans, longer procedures, and in some cases, the need for sedation, increasing demands on care teams. All of this puts pressure on hospital schedules and can delay care for other children.
Which characters are there
Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Buzz and Woody, Marvel superheroes Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange, Star Wars favorites such as Rey, Poe, Finn, and Yoda, and Disney Princesses are all part of the rollout.
Patients can personalise the room’s lighting, video, and sound by selecting a theme of their choice. The setup creates what Philips calls a multi-sensorial imaging environment.
What the research shows
The collaboration is backed by clinical evidence. A study conducted at six European hospitals showed that the Disney-themed ambient experience reduced stress levels in post-scan paediatric patients aged between 6 and 10. It also saw pauses during scans drop by 63% compared to those without intervention.
Fewer pauses mean faster, cleaner scans. That translates directly to hospitals being able to see more children each day without the added cost and risk of sedation.
What the companies said
Lisa Haines, Senior Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility at The Walt Disney Company, explained the thinking behind the partnership. “At Disney, we believe stories have the power to bring comfort and emotional connection to children and families,” she said. “We’re proud to collaborate with Philips to extend that impact into MRI rooms in a meaningful way, using our beloved stories and characters to help provide moments of escape, normalcy, and reassurance during what can be an intimidating experience for kids in hospitals.”
Atul Gupta, Chief Medical Officer for Diagnosis and Treatment at Philips, said: “By bringing Disney stories into the MRI environment, we are helping create a setting where children can feel more at ease and remain still during scans. Reducing stress can improve the experience for young patients and their families, while helping care teams deliver efficient, high-quality imaging so they can care for more children each day.”
Early adopters
Early adopters of the themes include pilot hospitals across Europe and industry-leading hospitals. They are Rady Children’s Health of Orange County and Calderdale Royal Hospital, who are already using the technology.
Today, Philips Ambient Experience for MRI is the exclusive MRI platform using these Disney themes. Other participating countries in the initial rollout include Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Belgium, and Denmark.