St. Luke's donation aims to ease children’s MRI fears

Children will soon feel like they're going to the movies instead of having a medical procedure at St. Luke's Hospital thanks to a generous donation.

Peregrine Charities in Cedar Falls has gifted $44,850 to St. Luke's Health Care Foundation for the purchase of a CinemaVision goggle system made specifically for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MRI is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body.

In order for an MRI to be most effective, the patient is required to remain completely still while images are being taken.  An MRI typically takes around 20 to 45 minutes, which can be a challenge to those who have difficulty remaining still for a prolonged period of time.

"Some patients, particularly children, are not able to tolerate MRIs, and we have to sedate them to complete the procedure," said Dennis Winders, St. Luke's Imaging Services director. “We anticipate this technology will create a more soothing environment for children who experience fear and anxiety associated with MRI scanning and our hope is this technology will reduce the need for sedation.”

"We are fortunate to be able to work for a closer connection with children and families served and to see the impact that is made from gifts to pediatric care providers, researchers and a host of compassionate and talented partners in our extended community," said Russell R. Wasendorf, Sr. Chairman & CEO, PFGBEST.

CinemaVision is a state-of-the-art 3D video and sound system that functions flawlessly within the MRI's magnetic field. It has no metal components and no impact on MRI image quality. The device immerses patients in a calming virtual world, combating the fear or claustrophobia during long confining scans. CinemaVision also enables live interaction between the patient and technologist.

CinemaVision is expected to be installed at St. Luke's this winter.

Peregrine Charities is a grant-making family foundation that supports medical research for rare pediatric diseases and provides assistance with children's hospitalization and medical treatment.  Since 2004, Peregrine Charities has given over $1.5 million to Eastern Iowa hospitals. Peregrine Charities was established as a 501(c) 3 organization in 2004 by the Wasendorf Family.

St. Luke's is a fully accredited 532-bed hospital serving a five-county area surrounding Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded in 1884 as Cedar Rapids' first hospital, today it offers a wide range of patient care services with strengths in cardiac care, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, rehabilitation, behavioral health, general surgery, trauma care and senior services. St. Luke's Hospital is nationally recognized as a Top 100 and Magnet Hospital.