Awake MRI Program With AVD Is Feasible, Effective

Background: Children, especially those aged <8 years or those with cognitive impairment, may require sedation or general anesthesia (GA) to tolerate MRI. Sedation and GA can lead to respiratory depression, can result in longer hospital visit time, and could have potential neurotoxicity in pediatric patients. Strategies to minimize MRI sedation include: child-friendly decoration of the MRI area, evaluation by a certified child life specialist (CCLS) before MRI, use of a mock MRI scanner, feeding-and-bundling of neonates, noise-reduction strategies, using techniques to decrease scan time, and MRI-compatible audiovisual distraction (AVD) technology. Objective: To reduce utilization of minimal or moderate sedation by ≥20% in children aged 4 to 18 years, while maintaining diagnostic quality and examination times, through the use of an awake MRI program using AVD technology. Design: Prospective cohort study. Participants/Methods: This 2.3-year project was conducted at a pediatric sedati more...