RESEARCH FINDINGS USING GUIDED
IMAGERY FOR
MRI
August, 2006
The
Value of MRI
Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) is among the safest and most
valuable procedures in all of medicine. Over 24.2 million
MRI procedures were performed in the United States in 2003
(Prochaska, 2005), many of them to diagnose and evaluate
injury, tumor growth, structural abnormalities and various
disease processes.
MRI has several advantages over X-ray and computerized
tomography (CT). Cross-sectional views can be taken from
any angle, while CTs can view from only one direction at a
time. By using different scanning parameters, MRI operators
can highlight different aspects of the tissues they
investigate, yielding more complete information.
Problems
with MRI
Because patients must remain still in the tight space of
the MRI scanner for up to two hours or more, MRIs
frequently create anxiety and panic. This can cause
significant harm to patients and greatly increasing costs.
Five to ten percent of patients undergoing MRI experience
severe claustrophobia or panic attacks, and 30% report
milder distress (Melendez and McCrank, 1993).
Severe anxiety can require the procedure to be canceled and
rescheduled, increasing costs and delaying medical
evaluation (Koechling, Spevack, et al, 1996; Quirk,
Letendre, et al, 1989a). Over 14% of patients require
sedation to complete the examination, adding new costs and
risks to the procedure (Murphy and Brunberg, 1997).
Many patients report that their MRI continued for several
months after the exam (McIsaac, 1996; Quirk, Letendre, et
al, 1989a). Patient anxiety can lead to patient movement
during the test, leading to poor quality images (Melendez
and McCrank; Thompson and Coppens, 1994).
The Role of Relaxation and Imagery
Many
studies have shown that relaxation with guided imagery or
hypnosis can reduce patient anxiety and movement, even in
children (Smart, 1997), increase patient tolerance of and
satisfaction with the procedure, and reduce need for
sedation in MRI (Friday and Kubal, 1990; Lukins, Davan, and
Drummond, 1997; Quirk, Letendre, et al, 1989b; Smart;
Thompson and Coppens, 1994).
Similar benefits have been found in other medical
procedures (Cataldo, 1996; Lang, Joyce, et al,
1996). Reduced sedation decreases
complications and cuts the need for expensive monitoring,
as well as allowing patients and caregivers a more rapid
return to their daily lives (Cataldo, 1996).
Increased
satisfaction improves willingness to have future
procedures, if necessary.
Conclusion
Guided imagery can reduce
patient anxiety and movement during MRI, improving quality
of images. The use of guided imagery can save money by
reducing need for sedation and/or cancellation of
procedures, and increase patient satisfaction with the
procedure.
References
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