Title: Redesigning Facial PPE for Radiology Patients

Team: Vicky Cui, Shirley Li, Daniel Beard

Client: Radiology (MRI) – Elizabeth Pierce (UCSF)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a commonly used medical imaging modality for soft tissue and tumor detection in the brain and spinal cord. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the current standard of care for patients inside the MRI room is to wear surgical masks. However, patients are usually asked to remove their masks before entering the machine to alleviate the breathing pathway causing patient discomfort during lengthy scans. Given the high demands for MRI imaging for diagnostics and the risks associated with having patients remove their masks before entering the machine, there lies an urgent need for redesigned protective equipment that is MRI compatible.

Our unmet need is centered on a method to reduce claustrophobic effects in MRI patients wearing
masks inside the machine in order to get them to keep their facemasks on in the MRI and still get a quality image.