A peer-reviewed quality-improvement study in Pediatric Radiology (University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2021–2024) shows what awake MRI with audiovisual distraction does for children — and partway through the program, the study team replaced its original in-bore video system with MRIaudio’s MRI view, finishing the study on our hardware with sedation falling and diagnostic quality intact. For imaging centers evaluating solutions to reduce sedation costs while improving patient care, this clinical evidence demonstrates exactly what’s possible with the right MRI comfort technology.
MRIaudio is a leader in audio and video technology, working alongside MRI technicians to create top-tier products. With over 7,000 audio systems in use worldwide, our new TV system is proving to be a game-changer—selling fast and already building a waitlist. Families hope for attentive and compassionate care during MRI exams, and MRIaudio helps fulfill that expectation.
Discover how the awake-MRI program performed — and why, when a quaternary-care children’s hospital could run its sedation-reduction study on any system, it chose to switch mid-study to MRIaudio’s easy-to-install MRI video display.
MRIaudio: Transforming MRI Care for Adults and Kids
MRIaudio is revolutionizing the way adults and pediatric patients experience MRI scans by creating a calming environment that helps ease anxiety and fear. This innovative system uses soothing audio and video entertainment to transform the MRI room into a more welcoming space, making it easier for children to undergo MRI scans without the need for general anesthesia or sedation. Most children and teenagers who undergo MRI can voluntarily lie still, and by minimizing the reliance on sedation, MRIaudio reduces the risks associated with anesthesia and supports safer, more comfortable MRI exams for young patients.
The MRItv 4K Pro system features high-quality sound and noise suppression, which are key to creating a calming MRI experience and supporting patient comfort. The system helps keep patients relaxed and entertained, which not only improves patient satisfaction but also reduces motion artifacts that can compromise image quality. As a result, clinicians are able to obtain clearer images and complete scans more efficiently, often reducing overall scan time with great success. This technology empowers clinicians to facilitate a smoother workflow, ensuring that exams are performed on schedule and that each patient receives the best possible care.
Breakthrough Clinical Results: The Numbers That Matter
The study ran at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s children’s hospital from October 2021 to January 2024, covering 698 potential sedation cases in children ages 4–18. The awake-MRI program began on another vendor’s in-bore projector — and in September 2023, the team replaced it with MRIaudio’s MRI view (Carlsbad, CA), which supports both head-first and feet-first positioning. When a formal sedation-reduction program swaps hardware mid-study, that is the strongest kind of product evidence there is. The results were clear and compelling.
Sedation Down: a 28.8-Point Monthly Decline in Minimal/Moderate Sedation
Across 698 potential sedation cases, the awake MRI program with audiovisual distraction (AVD) cut sedation significantly.
- Minimal/moderate sedation use fell by an average of 28.8 percentage points per month; overall sedation utilization fell 13% — 92 of 698 potential sedations avoided.
- Children could complete their MRI awake and calm, while watching movies on the in-bore MRI video system.
- The setting was demanding: an urban, academic, quaternary-care children’s hospital.
- AVD was offered to children ages 4–18 as the first option, before any sedation decision.
- Note: MRI scanning safety for infants has not been established and requires careful assessment by a physician before proceeding.
100% Diagnostic Success
- Every awake AVD MRI in the program produced diagnostic-quality images — a record maintained after the program switched to MRIaudio’s system.
- 0% of awake AVD scans required rescheduling.
- Children with developmental delays and autism successfully completed their scans.
- A 4 year old was able to complete an awake MRI with the AVD system without sedation.
- 96% of AVD studies finished on time, maintaining MRI workflow efficiency and success.
Patient & Caregiver Satisfaction
- 96% of children rated their AVD MRI experience as “easy” or “medium.”
- 90% of caregivers said they were “satisfied.”
- Families appreciated the ability to watch movies on a large MRI video display during the scan, which significantly enhanced the overall patient experience by making MRI scans more successful, comfortable, and less stressful.
Why This Matters for Your Imaging Center
Families hope for attentive and compassionate care during MRI exams, and MRIaudio helps fulfill that expectation. The system is designed to deliver clinical, operational, and technical success for imaging centers, and MRIaudio provides ongoing support to ensure optimal performance and patient care.
- Proven Sedation Reduction: a 28.8-point average monthly decline in minimal/moderate sedation, and 13% fewer sedations overall — backed by peer-reviewed evidence.
- Workflow-Friendly: No delays; exams remain on schedule. The MRI video system also helps increase the speed of MRI exams, reducing scan times and patient anxiety.
- MRI Center Visibility: Patient searches for terms like MRI TV, MRI video system, in-bore MRI video, and MRI patient video display now point to solutions like the new MRItv 4K Pro. This also includes searches from parents or adults looking for a more comfortable experience, such as “MRI with movies for kids”, “watch Netflix during MRI”, “MRI for claustrophobic patients with video”, or “MRI without sedation for children”.
- Clinical Confidence: 100% diagnostic accuracy and broad applicability.
Evidence-Based MRI Patient Anxiety Solutions
MRIaudio’s MRItv 4K Pro display and audio distraction systems offer a proven, peer-reviewed way to reduce sedation (13% overall, with a 28.8-point monthly decline in minimal/moderate sedation), maintain 100% diagnostic quality, improve patient and caregiver experience and satisfaction scores, reduce the need for rescheduling scans, enhance MRI workflow efficiency, and increase MRI facility marketability to both adults and children.
For imaging centers committed to reducing the cost of MRI sedation while advancing patient care, the clinical evidence is clear. The MRItv system addresses the unique challenges adults and pediatric patients face during MRI exams, creating a calming environment that supports successful scans without the risks and expenses associated with sedation.
Takeaway At-a-Glance
MRIaudio’s MRItv 4K Pro display and audio distraction systems offer a proven, peer-reviewed way to:
- Reduce sedation — 13% overall; a 28.8-point monthly decline in minimal/moderate sedation
- Maintain 100% diagnostic quality
- Improve patient and caregiver experience and satisfaction scores
- Reduce the need for rescheduling scans
- Enhance MRI workflow efficiency
- Increase MRI facility marketability to adults and children
The MRItv 4K Pro System is Technology That Delivers Results
The MRItv 4K Pro brings a new level of comfort and entertainment to MRI exams, especially for pediatric and challenging patients. By allowing patients to watch movies, favorite shows, or even educational videos during their MRI scans, the system transforms the MRI experience into something engaging and less stressful.
Technical Excellence for MRI Safety
Designing a television system for use inside an MRI suite requires far more than image quality alone. Critical considerations include non-ferromagnetic construction, radiofrequency (RF) shielding, fiber-optic signal transmission, and verified MRI safety performance. The MRItv 4K Pro was engineered specifically to meet these demands, ensuring compatibility with all major MRI systems while maintaining image integrity and patient safety.
At the core of the system, the television’s internal electronics are fully enclosed within a shielded housing—functionally acting as a Faraday cage—to prevent RF emissions from interfering with image acquisition. All video and audio signals are delivered via fiber-optic cabling rather than traditional copper connections. This eliminates electrical noise, prevents induced currents, and allows the display to be positioned safely within close proximity to the magnet without introducing artifacts.
The MRItv 4K Pro integrates seamlessly with MRIaudio’s patient audio and viewing accessories, including the CalmView™ mirror headphone system. These MRI-safe headphones incorporate a precision-positioned mirror mounted above the patient’s eyes, allowing clear, distortion-free viewing of the TV while the patient remains fully inside the bore. Unlike table-mounted or external mirrors, the mirror moves with the patient, maintaining consistent alignment regardless of patient size, positioning, or bore diameter, while also reducing setup time for technologists.
To support both head-first and feet-first scanning workflows, the MRItv 4K Pro includes a built-in screen orientation control. With a simple one-click adjustment, the display image can be flipped instantly, ensuring correct orientation for the patient without changing cables, settings, or physical placement of the screen. This feature allows technologists to adapt quickly between exam types while preserving a consistent patient experience.
Together, these design elements create a fully integrated, MRI-safe video solution that enhances patient comfort, reduces anxiety, and supports efficient clinical workflows—without compromising image quality or scanner performance.
Imaging centers are invited to contact MRIaudio to learn more about the peer-reviewed study results, request a demonstration, or discuss how the MRItv 4K Pro can support pediatric and adult imaging programs while helping reduce the need for sedation.
Read the full study: Boriosi JP, et al., “A quality improvement project to reduce magnetic resonance imaging sedation in children,” Pediatric Radiology (2025). SpringerLink · Free full text (PMC)