A special LEGO MRI scanner has been delivered to Royal Preston Hospital.

The set helps children cope and understand the scanner they are about to go into by having it built out of the blocks.

Only 600 of the MRI sets have been made and they were shown by a team at Odense University Hospital and volunteer LEGO employees to help children get a feel for the room they’ll be in.

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And, by putting a LEGO minifigure through the model scanner first, children can take control and learn what to
expect at the same time.

Dan Hill, Head of Hospital Charities said: “We are delighted to be one of the chosen recipients of the rare LEGO MRI Scanner, which will be used to prepare young patients for their scans. Thank you to The LEGO Foundation for this generous donation, it will be a great addition to our Children’s Ward.”

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Nicola Entwistle, Matron for Children and Young People at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added: “An MRI scan can be a daunting experience for children, so we will use the LEGO model to help prepare our paediatric patients for their scans and reduce their stress and anxiety levels. Then, when it comes to the real thing, it’s less scary.”

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