Achieving Stress-Free Pediatric MRI Without General Anesthesia

The Challenge

The hospital faced a significant challenge with long wait times for pediatric MRI brain scans under general anesthesia. Children requiring MRI were routinely referred to anesthesiology, creating a cascade of operational and clinical issues. Extended waitlists stretched over months, placing enormous pressure on limited anesthesia scheduling. Patient and parent anxiety ran high, particularly around the inherent risks of anesthesia for young children. Each general anesthetic MRI required 1.5 hours of pediatric anesthesiology, nurse and technician time, followed by 2 hours of nursing recovery time — a substantial resource commitment that limited the department's capacity to serve more patients.

The Solution

The hospital trialled Smileyscope, a virtual reality-based distraction tool for pediatric patients. Initially introduced by the Innovation team, Smileyscope was chosen over alternatives such as mirrored glasses and movie-playing goggles due to its ease of use and minimal training requirements. Instead of taking 8+ hours of staff time, scans could take as little as 30 minutes. Results mirrored the clinical study findings, with greater than 90% awake scan success. Positive feedback from patients and parents, combined with cost-efficiency, made it appealing to upper management. Implementation was remarkably smooth — the device was in use within a couple of weeks, and training was completed in under an hour.

The Impact

The Smileyscope trial yielded measurable and meaningful results. During the trial, 12 successful MRI scans were completed without anesthesia — equivalent to three full days of anesthesia procedures. Scheduling efficiency improved significantly, reducing coordination burdens with anesthesia teams. Patients gained faster access to imaging, helping them receive timely care. Anxiety was reduced for both patients and families.

One that always sticks with me is a young child who really needed a scan but was extremely nervous. She actually enjoyed it so much she asked if she could come back to do it again. The mother was in tears — she was so nervous about anesthesia, and she was so happy her daughter was able to get the MRI done in a timely manner.

— Lead MRI Technician

Going Forward

The MRI team is looking to expand their use of Smileyscope to reduce reliance on anesthesia days even further. Their goal is to eliminate at least one anesthesia day a month — equivalent to three to four cases at minimum.