Mike Molder, 35, a retired military veteran was working at Nebraska Furniture Mart when he experienced a severe headache. He sought care at the VA hospital in Omaha, but his claustrophobia made him unable to complete an MRI. His experience was so difficult he avoided treatment for another two years.

When his symptoms worsened, Molder finally went to Nebraska Medicine, where he had an MRI under sedation. The scan revealed a tumor, requiring surgery. To do the procedure, the surgeon told Molder that he’d need another MRI while awake to perform a more accurate surgery. 

“I told my family that there was no way I’d be able to do it,” recalls Molder. “That’s how severe my claustrophobia was, that I refused to have an MRI even though my condition was life-threatening.”

How virtual reality helps claustrophobic patients 

When psychologist Justin Weeks, PhD learned of Molder’s situation, he visited his hospital room to discuss their new program for treating MRI claustrophobia. The Be Calmed for Medical Care program uses virtual reality to help patients overcome their claustrophobia in as little as one or two sessions. 

“The sessions are typically 45-to-60 minutes long,” Dr. Weeks explains. “Treatment begins by teaching patients a few stress management skills to prepare for the exposure work.” 

The main component of the therapy is virtual reality simulation, which recreates being in an MRI scanner. Patients can be in the simulation for up to 30 minutes, which is the length of a real MRI scan. 

How the VR simulation works: 

•  First:  Patients start off in the MRI suite, looking at the scanner and moving throughout the room to get acclimated. 

• Second: They progress to virtually lying down in the scanner as the bed retracts into the magnet tunnel. With the VR helmet on, they see everything as if they're in an actual MRI scanner. 

• Third: A realistic audio component plays actual MRI sounds. This creates a completely immersive experience which is the key component of the exposure therapy.

Nebraska Medicine’s VR MRI simulations were developed in conjunction with Reimagine Well, a California-based company. The first patient completed the Be Calmed for Medical Care program in 2022. So far, 13 patients have completed the program, and all have subsequently been able to undergo an MRI. Many report they feel much more comfortable and no longer need sedation. 

Will VR exposure therapy work for me?

“We’ve had patients tell us they’d rather die than go through an MRI, even if it is needed to save their life,” says Dr. Weeks. “After just two sessions of exposure therapy with VR, they’ve been able to have an MRI without sedation. So, this treatment is saving lives.”

After two sessions with Dr. Weeks, Molder was relaxed enough to fall asleep during the MRI simulation. When it was time to have his real MRI, he was able to stay awake through the entire procedure without panicking. 

“The medical team giving me the MRI put music on and were super supportive,” says Molder of his MRI. “They said, if you need anything, let us know. They treated me like a human being. From that moment, I’ve been fine. The awake MRI was amazing because they were talking to me the whole time asking me questions.”

Often, patients are referred to the Be Calmed for Medical Care program because they have an MRI already scheduled. “When we get these referrals, we schedule them as soon as possible, so that they can complete the treatment before their MRI,” says Dr. Weeks. “If we know that they’re coming in for treatment for a scheduled MRI, we can usually get them treated within two weeks of contacting the clinic.”

How long do the effects of exposure therapy for claustrophobia last?

Nearly three years after Molder’s brain surgery, post-operative radiation and chemotherapy treatments, the remaining tumor appears to be dead or dormant. 

“The brain mapping was perfect,” he says. “With the awake MRI, my surgeon was able to see the brain pathways, and knew what parts of the tumor could be removed. Today, I'm living a completely normal life. You wouldn't know I’ve had cancer or surgery besides the scar on my head.” 

Since the surgery, Molder has returned to Nebraska Medicine for a follow-up MRI every three months. “Most of the time, I fall asleep during it,” he says. 

The therapy for MRI claustrophobia has also improved his claustrophobia in other situations. “The last time I went to Universal Studios, about 9 or 10 years ago, I couldn’t stand in the lines because there were too many people, and I was claustrophobic. But recently, when I went back to Universal Studios, I was fine. I had no issues at all.”

“I want people to know that this treatment exists and that the effects of exposure therapy are very stable and long-lasting,” says Dr. Weeks. “There’s a lot of research supporting that specific phobias can be treated successfully in as little as two hours.”