A Lego model of an open MRI scanner that was developed by U.K.-based MRI lead radiographer Apollo Exconde has won the support of more than 10,000 followers and is moving closer to becoming an actual product sold by the Danish company.
Exconde's project passed the supporter milestone on 20 October, qualifying it for the company's third review on whether it will move to commercial production, Lego said. A board of designers and product managers will further assess the idea, building concept models to evaluate factors such as the project's "playability, safety, and fit with the Lego brand," according to the firm.
Lego model of an MRI scanner. Image courtesy of Lego.The review will begin in January 2021, and it can take a number of months, Lego said. If the model is approved, it will go into a development phase, during which its design will be refined and materials such as the box and instructions are created.
Exconde developed the model in an effort to reduce anxiety among children undergoing MRI. It helps children understand what happens in an MRI exam and can be modified to create upright MRI, CT, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan designs.
"As an MRI radiographer with special interest to anxious/claustrophobic and plus-size patients, I seek a way to help my patients [conquer their anxiety] one Lego brick at a time," Exconde said in a statement posted on the Lego website.
