Designing “Mission Control”: An Immersive VR Simulation to Improve Pediatric MRI Experiences

Children’s participation in neuroscience and neuroimaging research is often limited, especially when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is involved, due to confined spaces, loud noises, and the need for prolonged immobility. Distraction techniques informed by child psychology professionals and MRI technicians can alleviate anxiety and fear. When distraction is insufficient, sedation or anesthesia may be required, increasing costs, posing potential side effects (e.g., adverse reactions to sedation or anesthesia), and limiting research inclusivity. Moreover, children often exhibit increased head motion in the scanner, compromising image quality and potentially leading to diagnostic errors or unusable data. Our project outlines the development of Mission Control, an innovative virtual reality (VR) simulation designed to address the challenges of pediatric brain MRI procedures by familiarizing children aged 6 to 12 years with the MRI environment. Mission Control aims to reduce anxiety and teach children to remain still during scans, and is freely available, addressing the limited availability of VR MRI applications outside of research settings. The simulation features a rocket landing mission on the moon, where children must maintain stillness to reach their destination. Head tracking is used to train stillness, while audiovisual cues and narration transform the MRI experience into an engaging adventure. To ensure content appropriateness, we replicated MRI procedures and facilities from our Cerebral Imaging Centre, and consulted MRI specialists, designers, and mental health researchers during the design phase. Future directions include conducting a pilot study to evaluate the accessibility, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of the simulation in a research setting.