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January 26, 2026
GREEN BAY – HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital recently installed a “Kitten Scanner,” a child-sized, toy imaging scanner that lets pediatric patients practice scanning stuffed animals before their own CT or MRI.
Ashley Thompson, a child life supervisor at HSHS St. Vincent Children’s, said medical imaging, like MRIs and CTs, can feel loud and intimidating for kids, making it difficult for them to stay still.
“Since kids learn best through play, pretending to scan a favorite stuffed animal helps make CTs and MRIs feel less scary,” she said. “When they see their ‘special animal’ go first, the machines become more familiar and less intimidating.”
Thompson said children can choose between three toy animals to send through the scanner: Ollie the Elephant, Chris the Alligator or Doris the Chicken.
The Kitten Scanner, she said, is also designed to mimic the sights and sounds of the real scanner a patient will experience – with bright lights, whirring noises and even a screen showing the pretend “scans” from the stuffed animal.
Amy Bardon – nursing director at HSHS St. Vincent Children’s – said the Kitten Scanner was made possible thanks to a donation from The Ariens Family Foundation, which fully covered the costs of the scanner and its installation.
“Donor support allows us to provide specialized tools and resources that insurance doesn’t cover but are essential to caring for children, helping us deliver the safest, most advanced care,” she said. “To our donors: your generosity is creating a meaningful impact for children and families.”
