Abstract
BackgroundMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in children and adolescents is a well-established method in both clinical practice and in neuroscientific research. This practice is sometimes viewed critically, as MRI scans might expose minors (e.g. through scan-associated fears) to more than the legally permissible “minimal burden”. While there is evidence that a significant portion of adults undergoing brain MRI scans experience anxiety, data on anxiety in children and adolescents undergoing brain MRI scans is rare. This study therefore aimed to examine the prevalence and level of anxiety in children and adolescents who had MRI scans of the brain, and to compare the results to adults undergoing brain MRI scans, and to children and adolescents undergoing electroencephalography (EEG; which is usually regarded a “minimal burden”).MethodParticipants were 57 children and adolescents who had a brain MRI scan (MRI-C; mean age 12.9 years), 28 adults who had a brain MRI scan (MRI-A; mean age 43.7 years), and 66 children and adolescents undergoing EEG (EEG-C; mean age 12.9 years). Anxiety was assessed on the subjective (situational anxiety) and on the physiological level (arousal), before and after the respective examination.ResultsMore than 98% of children and adolescents reported no or only minimal fear during the MRI scan. Both pre- and post-examination, the MRI-C and the MRI-A groups did not differ significantly with respect to situational anxiety (p = 0.262 and p = 0.374, respectively), and to physiological arousal (p = 0.050, p = 0.472). Between the MRI-C and the EEG-C group, there were also no significant differences in terms of situational anxiety (p = 0.525, p = 0.875), or physiological arousal (p = 0.535, p = 0.189). Prior MRI experience did not significantly influence subjective or physiological anxiety parameters.ConclusionsIn this study, children and adolescents undergoing a brain MRI scan did not experience significantly more anxiety than those undergoing an EEG, or adults undergoing MRI scanning. Therefore, a general exclusion of minors from MRI research studies does not appear reasonable.
Highlights
The last three decades have seen a steady rise in the importance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in the number of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies performed both for clinical purposes and for medical research [1, 2].10% to 37% of persons undergoing MRI, reportedly suffer from unpleasant effects of the procedure, anxiety of various kinds, including claustrophobia [3,4,5]
More than 98% of children and adolescents reported no or only minimal fear during the MRI scan
This has led to controversies whether children and adolescents are allowed to participate in MRI scans that are performed solely for research purposes, as MRI scans might expose minors to more than the legally permissible “minimal burden” [7, 8]
Summary
The last three decades have seen a steady rise in the importance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in the number of MRI studies performed both for clinical purposes and for medical research [1, 2].10% to 37% of persons undergoing MRI, reportedly suffer from unpleasant effects of the procedure, anxiety of various kinds, including claustrophobia [3,4,5]. Some authors have expressed the view that anxiety during MRI procedures may be even more pronounced among children and adolescents than among adults, because adults have more experience with medical procedures and their cognitive compensatory strategies are more fully developed [6] In some places, this has led to controversies whether children and adolescents are allowed to participate in MRI scans that are performed solely for research purposes (e.g. fMRI paradigms in studies exploring the neural basis of ADHD), as MRI scans might expose minors (e.g. through scan-associated fears) to more than the legally permissible “minimal burden” [7, 8]. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in children and adolescents is a well-established method in both clinical practice and in neuroscientific research This practice is sometimes viewed critically, as MRI scans might expose minors (e.g. through scan-associated fears) to more than the legally permissible “minimal burden”. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and level of anxiety in children and adolescents who had MRI scans of the brain, and to compare the results to adults undergoing brain MRI scans, and to children and adolescents undergoing electroencephalography (EEG; which is usually regarded a “minimal burden”)
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