Dr. Presenza with Connie Klahn, Lead MRI Technologist at Cooper
Preparing to go for a MRI appointment can be an intimidating and frightening experience for any patient, especially young children. For a normally active and vibrant child, trying to get them to lie motionless for a prolonged period of time in a sometimes small, dark and enclosed area can be a daunting task for both the parents and the radiologist. Now, the Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper is the only hospital in South Jersey offering an in-suite entertainment system that distracts the patient while having the study performed, achieving optimal results.
The ESys Patient Entertainment System from Invivo provides an in-room, high definition, audio and visual presentation for the enjoyment of the patient during a routine MRI exam. Easily compatible with any MRI technology and placed at either end of the bore, patients can view the screen at any angle using coil mirrors. The system comes equipped with stereo headphones and a conversation microphone and patients can watch DVDs or listen to music on an MP3 player.
“With this new, high-definition multi-media entertainment system, the Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper will continue to be at the forefront of medical technology, offering the best quality of care for our pediatric patients,” said Michael H. Goodman, MD, Chief of the Department of Pediatrics. “As the patient is busy enjoying a movie or listening to music, the radiologist will be able to complete the exam, in many cases without sedation. This system will improve the overall experience for our patients.”
Aside from the entertainment benefits, the ESys Patient Entertainment System, in the appropriate age group and for patients with claustrophobia, can prevent the need for sedation and the risks that sedation may carry.
“As a pediatric radiologist, I am aware that unfamiliar tests or procedures can seem scary to both the child and their parents,” said Thomas J. Presenza, DO, Pediatric Radiologist at the Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper. “It is our job to ease our patients’ fears and to make the experience as pleasant as possible, while also getting the appropriate medical information. The ESys Entertainment System allows us to do this.”