Turning MRI Time Into Movie Time

For most patients, an MRI means lying still for a long time in a loud, enclosed space. For 13-year-old Elias Dalton, it now also means getting to watch his favorite superhero movies.

Elias, who has tuberous sclerosis and autism, has needed regular MRIs since he was 5. In the past, sedation helped him to stay still during the scan. Now, he can complete his MRI at CRMH without anesthesia by watching a movie through specialized CinemaVision goggles.

“The last time he went under for an MRI, he woke up and didn’t remember us right away,” his father shared. “That’s something no parent wants to experience. These goggles have made such a difference. We’re incredibly grateful he can now get MRIs without sedation and feel so much more at ease.” 

Thanks to gifts from Child’s Play Charity, the Foster Family Foundation, and an anonymous donor through the Carilion Clinic Foundation, our health system now has 2 pairs of CinemaVision goggles so that children like Elias can watch movies during scans, often eliminating the need for anesthesia.

MRIs require patients to stay completely still, which can be especially challenging for children. The goggles, part of Carilion’s Child Life Program, help patients relax and complete scans naturally.

“Our goal is to provide the most comfortable experience possible,” says Imaging Services Manager Teresa Crowder. “If we can help a child complete an MRI without anesthesia, that’s even better.”

More than 50 young patients have already completed MRIs without sedation using the goggles since their introduction last year. Reducing anesthesia use can also help avoid medication risks and improve access to imaging services.

As a not-for-profit health system, we rely on the generosity of donors to bring innovative solutions like these to patients and families.

To learn more about fundraising for Carilion Children's, contact Linda Hodges, Carilion Clinic Foundation, at shodges1@carilionclinic.org. For questions or more information related to how these goggles benefit our patients, contact Carli Holtzhauer, CRMH child life specialist, at cjholtzhauer@carilionclinic.org.