MRI EXAMINATION AND MONITORING OF PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS UNDER SEDATION

From April 1992 to May 1994, 780 patients aged from 1 day to 8 years w ere examined, Sedation of these patients was conducted by giving chlor prothixene orally and, in some cases, chloral hydrate had to be added, The patients were monitored with a pulse oxymeter. Investigations cou ld begin after 50-120 min, In 710 patients (91%) the first attempt to perform the examination was successful; 70 patients required one or tw o further attempts. Only two of the 780 patients (0.5%) showed evidenc e of respiratory depression, The total number of pediatric MRI examina tions performed in 1 year is almost 1000, In the hands of an experienc ed pediatric radiologist these examinations can be performed entirely without anesthesia.