Medical Imaging, February 2004 A Little TLC for MRI

A Little TLC for MRI

Another company offering "healing imagery" is the Sky Factory (Fairfield, Iowa). With its Sky Ceilings and Sky Tiles, the com- pany transforms interior spaces with photo- graphic images of skies and clouds, providing a highly realistic experience of nature. The goal is for a patient on an imaging table to recall looking up into the sky and to feel the sense of well-being and comfort that those images can bring. "Nature is a powerful healer," explains Bill Witherspoon, creator of the Sky Factory. "We choose to recreate the sky because it is universal, the one thing that every person can experience with a sense of joy and freedom. [The sky] is huge and perhaps our most sig- nificant and direct experience of nature. We are creating an illusion that will have a sooth- ing psychological and physiological effect, to counteract the anxiety and stress that patients naturally experience when they need to undergo imaging. We're like magicians: We go to great lengths—with the use ot space, orien- tation, light, and color—to ensure that our creations are convincing to the eye and mind of the observer as authentic images." Witherspoon enjoys sharing a story from a client, who reported that a 7-year-old patient looked up at the Sky Ceiling and asked, "What do you do when it rains?"

The Sky Factory offers geographically specific skies for every season and time of day as well as custom designs. The installations often include overhanging tree branches, flowers, or architectural elements, all designed from the exact perspective ot the observer to create an authentic image. "Ultimately," Witherspoon explains, "we want to engage the patient in a quiet, meditative sense rather than distract them with something overly stimulating."

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