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A radiology department is not meant to be a spa and must concentrate on providing imaging excellence. However, a pleasant atmosphere and an efficient working environment do not have to be mutually exclusive – on the contrary: in most radiological exams, it is important for the patient to relax so that the image quality is not limited by motion artifacts.

Taking into account this possibility to influence the patient’s contribution to imaging, Siemens Healthcare offers Healthcare Lighting and MoodLight^TM2 – color and light concepts that make examinations easier for both patients and practitioners.

Positive distraction is the key

The Center for Diagnostic Radiology Butzbach, Germany, opted to add the Healthcare Lighting system into their Siemens acquired computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suites. The lighting option is activated for every examination by the staff utilizing dedicated software; he/she can choose from the full color spectrum and combine different tints. In the MRI room, the system works with a large number of small LED lights mounted on the ceiling that light up the whole room in color. “We ask our patients what their favorite colors are. Most of them are surprised and quite excited, and then their perception of the system itself often fades into the background,” Farschad Tabesch, MD, radiologist in Butzbach, explains. In the CT room, a number of light tubes have been installed along one wall. A backlit motif on the ceiling simulates a veal sky. “Distracting patients is especially important to us in CT scans,” Tabesch says. “Patients come to us with a history of pain. The light installation makes a huge contribution to helping these patients relax.”

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Relaxation for mammography patients

In Viborg, Denmark, the breast screening center is one of the first facilities to work with MoodLight, a large-format light panel that is affixed right to the system itself as an additional feature to the center’s MAMMOMAT^® Inspiration¹ digital mammography platform. It also offers users a choice of the entire color palette, allowing them to set the colors for the individual patient. “We use MoodLight all day, with every patient,” says radiographer Winnie Hedegaard. Hedegaard and her colleague Mette Haaning, also a radiographer, perform more than 70 examinations a day as part of the Danish mammography screening program. Haaning says, “We talk to the patients and try to make the examination as pleasant as possible for them. When they come into the examining room and see the MoodLight shining out from behind the businesslike system, it definitely contributes to the overall atmosphere.”

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Broad range of benefits

At the diagnostics center in Butzbach, facts and figures demonstrate the benefits of the color concept. Lately, only about one percent of patients had to be sedated before undergoing an MRI scan. The color system also works well with children, who are most likely to need sedation before scanning. Moreover, the light installation is an important marketing tool for the private diagnostic center. Many patients who are not referred to the center directly hear about it and then stop by to see for themselves.
At the breast screening center in Viborg, the radiographers are also convinced that MoodLight can contribute to improving the results of screenings. Hedegaard points out another important aspect: “Working in these surroundings is also more pleasant for us. I stand here in this room all day long, and MoodLight has a positive effect on me, too.”