Philips partners with Disney to incorporate iconic characters in MRI exams

Philips is partnering with the Walt Disney Company to incorporate iconic characters into its MRI exams, the two announced Thursday. 

The Amsterdam-based imaging manufacturer said it will utilize beloved animated characters and stories as part of the Philips Ambient Experience. It plans to roll out the new offering across 87 countries worldwide, helping support children undergoing imaging. 

For many in this patient population, such immersion during MRIs can help shift attention away from the exam, reduce stress, and create a more comforting and engaging experience.

“By bringing Disney stories into the MRI environment, we are helping create a setting where children can feel more at ease and remain still during scans,” Atul Gupta, MD, chief medical officer of diagnosis and treatment at Philips, said in a May 28 announcement about the partnership. “Reducing stress can improve the experience for young patients and their families, while helping care teams deliver efficient, high-quality imaging so they can care for more children each day, supporting better care for more people.”

Philips’ Ambient Experience uses calming lighting, sound, and visual elements to help patients relax before and during an MRI. Within this product suite, Disney-themed content will be incorporated to offer kids comfort by reducing anxiety and stress during imaging. Philips noted that MRIs can be challenging for children. Entering a large, unfamiliar machine that makes loud noises, combined with the requirement to lie perfectly still for up to 40 minutes, “can be intimidating,” the company said.  

About 66% of pediatric patients report feeling apprehensive during MRIs, according to previous research. This anxiety or claustrophobia can lead to re-scans, longer procedures, or the need for sedation. These disruptions also can limit the number of patients seen per day, leading to delays and increased demand on care teams, Philips said. One multicenter study conducted across six hospitals in Europe highlighted the impact of combining MR imaging with Disney themes. For kids ages 6 to 10, post-scan pediatric patient stress levels were reduced by 43% compared to before the procedure. Plus, pauses during examinations dropped by 63% compared to imaging without the intervention.

“The data showed that a child-friendly audio-visual intervention reduced stress levels in young children and decreased scan disruptions, supporting a smoother MRI workflow,” Emilio J. Inarejos Clemente, with the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at Sant Joan de Deu Hospital, Barcelona, Spain, which participated in the study, said in the announcement from Philips. “This can help clinicians maintain efficiency and focus on delivering high-quality diagnostic imaging, helping more patients to be seen without compromising care.”

Disney has previously developed content and environments tailored to clinical settings through “longstanding collaborations” with children’s hospitals worldwide, the two added. Its past work includes a recently fulfilled commitment of $100 million, supporting over 1,700 pediatric places of care in 45 countries. Thousands of hospitals staffers have been trained through Disney Institute programs, they added, with millions of items distributed to children in various care settings. 

As part of these charitable commitments, Disney said it is providing the art and imagery in Philips' Ambient Experience at no charge. Children and families can choose from characters across company brands, including Mickey and Minnie House, Marvel superheroes, Star Wars, Disney Princesses and more. Philips said its Ambient Experience is the exclusive MRI platform using these themes. Early adopters of the branding include pilot hospitals across Europe, along with Rady Children’s Health in Orange County and Calderdale Royal Hospital in the U.K.

“At Disney, we believe stories have the power to bring comfort and emotional connection to children and families,” Lisa Haines, senior VP of corporate social responsibility for The Walt Disney Company, said in the announcement. “We’re proud to collaborate with Philips to extend that impact into MRI rooms in a meaningful way—using our beloved stories and characters to help provide moments of escape, normalcy and reassurance during what can be an intimidating experience for kids in hospitals.”