核磁共振(MRI)检查是目前人类最安全、最可靠的获取身体器官图像的医疗手段之一。相比于CT来说，患者不用担心放射线所带来的副作用。然而对于孩子们来说，核磁共振检查却是他们的噩梦。因为他们必须要在昏暗、噪音极大的核磁共振机中接受检查。这会对某些儿童造成心理上的创伤。

　　目前英国一家企业使用VR设备，让核磁共振治疗变得更加简单。即使是小孩子也可以完全接受。下面，我们就来看一看详情吧。

　　MRI(核磁共振成像)利用强大的无线电波和磁场梯度组合，安全地生成人体内部器官的图像。并且MRI并不会让人感觉到疼痛，也没有副作用。但它却是让一个孩子感觉到畏惧的一个存在。

　　MRI， or “magnetic resonance imaging，”utilizes a combination of powerful radio waves and magnetic field gradients to safely generate images of persons internal organs。 They‘re absolutely painless， side effect-free， and one of the intimidating producers a child can endure while at a hospital。

　　核磁共振使用的是一个完全无痛的放射学技术，医生可以安全的检查病人的内部器官而不用担心患者收到辐射的危险。但对于小一点的孩子来说，核磁共振扫描是一件可怕的经历。这很大程度上归因于其漫长的操作过程，狭小的空间以及复杂机械的噪音声。

　　Despite remaining a completely painless radiology technique in which professionals can safely inspect the internals of a patient without the risk of radiation exposure， MRI scans can be a terrifying experience for younger children， due in large part to the lengthy-process， confined space， and loud noises as a result of the complex machinery。

　　英国国家卫生服务中心的核磁共振物理学家乔纳森·阿什莫尔(Jonathan Ashmore)对这种既能拯救孩子生命，又能让他们心生畏惧的医疗设备所带来的恐惧再熟悉不过了。他的办公室在医院的核磁共振检查室旁边，他经常听到吓坏了的孩子们的哭声，在这个过程中，他愈发地对孩子们产生同情。

　　Jonathan， Ashmore， an MRI physicist with the United Kingdom‘s National Health Service， is all too familiar with the fears children have towards the life-saving， but intimidating， medical device。 With an office adjacent to his hospitals MRI exam room， Ashmore hears the cries of terrified children on a regular basis， growing sympathetic to their trauma in the process。

　　在《卫报》上，这位英国物理学家在一篇自费发表的文章中说：“我看到成年人一想到要进去就会哭得很难过，对孩子们来说，核磁共振可能会造成特别大的创伤。”“通常情况下，唯一的选择就是让孩子睡觉，但这个过程成本高昂，风险增加，而且相当可怕。“

　　“I‘ve seen adults collapse in tears at the thought of going in， so for children it can be particularly traumatic，” spoke the accomplished British physicist in a self-published article on The Guardian。 “Often the only option is to put the child to sleep， a procedure that is costly， adds risk and is also quite scary。”

　　阿什福德继续说道：“如果孩子事先被吓到了，那么当他们到达扫描器时，已经来不及为他们的苦难做准备，也来不及让他们感到舒适。“

　　“If the child is scared beforehand， then by the time they get to the scanner it‘s too late to prepare them for the ordeal and make them feel comfortable，” continues Ashford。

　　有了这些认识之后，阿什莫尔便决定研发一种工具，让它可以帮助患者去核磁共振检测间里嘈杂和狭窄的环境。有了VR技术之后，这位物理学家认为可以利用360度的虚拟体验来让患者接触到核磁共振机器所产生的不舒适的环境。

　　Armed with these realizations， Ashmore went to work developing a tool to better help incoming patients mentally prepare for the cramped and loud space。 Turning to VR technology， the physicist began developing a 360-degree virtual experience designed to expose patients to the uncomfortable environment created by an MRI machine。

　　“我们大约花了一年半左右的时间来打造这款应用，同时在接受了一些来自Belfast的开发者和合作伙伴的帮助后，才打造出了成品。这款应用利用MR扫描仪建立了一个360度的视频。孩子们可以免费体验到它，并通过它来理解和适应那个(核磁共振)复杂且困难的检测体验。“

　　“Altogether it took more than a year and a half to create the app and after enlisting the help of a developer and some colleagues in Belfast， we had a finished product。 The app utilises 360-degree videos from within an MR scanner。 It‘s free and allows children to experience their upcoming scan in virtual reality， helping them to understand and prepare for what is often a difficult and scary experience。”

　　Ashmore表示，从目前的情况来看，效果非常明显。

　　According to Ashmore， the results so far have proven extremely effective。

　　“我们在一些年轻的患者身上做了实验，他们的反应几乎一样：孩子们似乎都很喜欢它。为了体验它，有一些孩子还在等候区里发生了冲突。在扫描的时候，孩子们甚至表现的非常兴奋。“

　　“We trialled it on a handful of young patients and the response was unanimous： children seemed to love it。 We even had fights breaking out among siblings in the waiting areas as they all wanted a go。 Some children exclaimed they were even excited to come in for their scan。”

　　与此同时，它对父母也产生了巨大的影响。他们在看过这些体验之后，原本对手术的紧张心情得到了放松，间接地为孩子们创造了一个更加舒适和放松的检测环境。

　　Even more surprising， however， were the effects on the parents。 Providing a preview of the experience to the guardians eased their concerns regarding the procedure， in turn creating a more comfortable and relaxed environment for the child。

　　目前，这款VR体验已经在伦敦的三家医院使用了，另外还有两家医院正在筹备使用之中。Ashmore希望未来可以研发一种类似VR体验，来让成人患者。

　　Currently the app is being utilized King‘s College Hospital in London， the Royal Belfast Hospital， and Raigmore Hospital in Inverness。 The app is under ongoing development at Guy’s and St Thomas‘s hospital and Southampton Hospital。 Ashmore hopes to develop a similar VR experience in the future tailored specifically to adult patients。

　　虽然网络上已经有一些类似的核磁共振VR模拟器，但是都不大完美。而Ashmore的这款应用则是请到了精通该领域的医疗专业技术团队打造，效果更好。

　　While there are plenty of half-baked attempts at an MRI simulator floating around the web， Ashmore offers a more polished experience designed from the ground up by a team of medical professionals well-versed in the field。

　　最后，Ashmore表示：“孩子们和VR技术的相遇，就像是我们和计算机技术一样，我认为VR成为我们日常生活的一部分只是时间的问题。“

　　“Children embrace VR technology much like my generation embraced the original computer – and like the computer， I think it‘s only a matter of time before VR becomes part of our everyday lives。”

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