LEGO scanner models help young patients through MRI procedure

The LEGO Foundation is to donate 600 LEGO MRI scanners to hospitals worldwide to help children cope with the uncertainty of having an MR scan.

What started in 2015 as a passion project for LEGO chemical technician Erik Ullerlund Staehr and Odense University Hospital, Denmark, is now being scaled and piloted with new training material for hospital staff. The team developed the sets as a way to help children navigate the often intimidating process of having an MR scan. The sets are designed to help children better cooperate with clinicians and understand what the MRI machine is all about.

Ullerlund Staehr said: “I’m extremely proud of this project and the positive impact it has already had. I’ve seen firsthand how children have responded to these models; making them feel more relaxed and turning an often highly stressful experience into a positive, playful one.”

Since the first prototype was made, the radiology department team at Odense has used the LEGO models as part of a playful learning approach to help more than 200 children aged four to nine annually.

Ulla Jensen from the department of radiology said: “MRI scanners are huge machines. They also make a lot of noise, which can be very daunting for children. Our team has found that use of models such as this has led to more positive, calm experiences for many children. This benefits the child, their family and also the quality of the MR scan, which relies on the person being very still for up to an hour.”

Close to 100 hospitals worldwide have already benefitted from the use of the LEGO MRI scanners. Now, the LEGO Foundation is LEGO scanner models help young patients through MRI procedure encouraging hospitals from all over the world to apply for one of the 600 models currently available. Built by volunteers, the models will be shipped free of charge. Once distributed, the foundation will generate insights from participating hospitals to continue building evidence-based research to guide potential future projects.

Four free training videos are available, designed to help medical staff guide children through a scan.

Picture: The model has nearly 500 elements and measures 13cm wide, 25.5cm long and 10.5cm high.

Published on page 10 of the April 2022 issue of RAD Magazine.