Kitten Scanner helps children having scans

Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) is using a new child-friendly tool to help reduce fear and anxiety for children having vital diagnostic scans in hospital.

The equipment, known as a 'kitten scanner', is a miniature replica of an MRI machine and has been funded by Oxford Hospitals Charity, supporting John Radcliffe Hospital staff to help more young patients have these scans without the need for a general anaesthetic.

Children can play with the kitten scanner before their appointment, placing character toys into the MRI while a cartoon video shows them what to expect during their real scan.

This new approach, used alongside the expertise of OUH Senior Play Specialist Sonia Dugmore, is helping children feel prepared and confident ahead of their procedure, reducing the number who need to undergo a general anaesthetic.

This means many children no longer need to fast before their MRI, can avoid injections, and spend less time in hospital.

Sonia said: "Making hospitals feel less intimidating for our youngest patients is something we take really seriously, so we are thrilled with this new kitten scanner. It gets such an amazing reaction when children first see it – their fear turns to fun.

"Even for adults, having an MRI can be intimidating and feel claustrophobic and overwhelming with the loud banging and knocking noises. For young children and those with additional needs, having to lie still throughout the whole procedure can be too much to ask – so a general anaesthetic has traditionally been needed to make the scan possible.

"But through the play specialist role and the use of tools like the new kitten scanner, we are able to coach and encourage many children in advance of their scan using empowering play. This enables more of them to have the scan fully awake, which is a fantastic result."

Cyrene Saga, Advanced Clinical Specialist MRI Radiographer at OUH, added: "This mini replica of an MRI scanner is not just a toy, it’s a clinical, education and emotional support tool.

"We perform MRI scans on about 30 to 50 children every month and this new approach is helping us perform more of these scans without the need for sedation.

"This helps children get home more quickly and we also benefit from better imaging when a child is well prepared and informed. It also helps speed up waiting lists and reduce costs for the NHS, as the whole process is quicker without a general anaesthetic.

"We're one of a very small number of hospitals in the UK with this equipment and the whole team is incredibly grateful to Oxford Hospitals Charity and its kind donors for funding this advance."

Ella Cooper, from Oxford Hospitals Charity, said: "This project really caught our imagination and watching the expression on children’s faces transform when they see the scanner and start playing with it is just wonderful.

"It's a fantastic example of a brilliant idea coming from the clinical teams that Oxford Hospitals Charity has been delighted to support."