MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF CHILDREN WITHOUT SEDATION - PREPARATIONWITH SIMULATION

Objective: It was hypothesized that a scanner simulator that replicate s the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment could be used to pr epare pediatric subjects for successful completion of a diagnostic-qua lity MRI examination without pharmacological sedation. Method: Sixteen healthy children, 6 to 17 years of age, were matched for age and sex with 16 psychotropic medication-naive children with obsessive-compulsi ve disorder. Distress was measured throughout simulation and scanning procedures using heart rate and a self-report distress scale. Ten heal thy children, 6 to 17 years of age, also underwent the same actual MRI scanning procedure but did not undergo the simulation scanning proced ure. Results: Significant decreases in heart rate and self-reported di stress level were observed in all subjects during the simulator sessio n that were maintained to the end of the actual scanner experience. Al l subjects successfully completed MRI examinations without chemical re straint Subjects who were not trained in the simulator had higher hear t rates and self-reported distress levels in the actual scanner than d id simulation-trained subjects. Conclusions: Simulation without pharma cological sedation successfully prepared pediatric subjects in this pi lot study for high-quality MRI studies. Subject preparation may be an alternative procedure to sedation for routine MRI examination in healt hy and anxious children 6 years of age and older.