Adverse events in paediatric patients taken to magnetic resonance imaging under sedation or anaesthesia

Abstract

IntroductionNuclear magnetic resonance is a technique requiring breath holding or staying still for long periods of time for image acquisition. For this reason, paediatric patients need to be given sedation or anaesthesia, creating additional risks to those found in other areas. ObjectiveTo describe the incidence of adverse events in paediatric patients in the magnetic resonance service with the presence of an anaesthetist. Materials and methodsDescriptive observational study to assess the incidence of adverse events in 4786 patients under 15 years of age taken to magnetic resonance imaging with an attending anaesthetist for sedation or anaesthesia at Instituto de Alta Tecnología Médica between 2010 and 2014. ResultsThere were 12 adverse events with a rate of 2.5 for every 1000 paediatric patients. Of these, there were 6 serious, 4 moderate and 2 mild adverse events. The proportion of mortality was 0.04%. ConclusionPerforming magnetic resonance imaging studies under sedation or anaesthesia given by an anaesthetist in patients under 15 years of age is safe. However a risk-benefit analysis is required in hospitalized or decompensated patients, in order to assess the best option.