A NEW phone app has transformed the way young patients are prepared for “frightening” MRI scans at the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

The MRI Experience allows specialists at the hospital to give the children the chance to discover what the scan will be like before they go through the procedure.

When undergoing an MRI, patients have to be completely still, meaning some children have to be given a general anaesthetic for the procedure.

Philippa Brown, whose eight-year-old daughter Clover under went a scan as part of her regular treatment for a rare genetic disorder at the children’s hospital, said scans can be very frightening for youngsters.

The 41-year-old, from Halford, Warwickshire, added: “I can see why it will be useful.

“She has had scans before and that was really nerve-wracking and to be able to have had that experience would make it easier.”

“To be able to make them feel better so they don’t have to be anaesthetised is a huge thing.”

Specialist Sarah Browne said before the app was launched in June, staff had to use a play tunnel, model and dolls to give youngsters an idea what an MRI scan was like.

But the app, developed by Siemens, allows children to look around the inside of a scanner and hear the loud noise it makes.

Ms Browne added: “The app gives a really interactive experience. We had a play tunnel before, but this is much more effective. You can hold it up, move it around and it plays the sound.

“Now we can play games to see if they can lie still for 30 seconds, then we build it up to a minute.

“It allows us to assess whether the child is going to be able to do the scan successfully.”

The app can be downloaded by parents at home before their child goes into hospital.

As well as giving a 360-degree view of a scanner, complete with realistic sounds, the app has a selection of questions and answers, and scans of hands, feet and even lobsters for children to investigate.

It is available free from the iTunes and Google Play sites.