Manchetser University. UK: A DVD designed to help people prepare for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) scan, including guidance on how to relax, has led to more
successful scans. The patients receiving the DVD also felt less anxious
during the scan says a paper published in the British Journal of Health
Psychology.
Lead author of the study, Dr Rachael Powell from The University of Manchester’s School of Psychological Sciences
said: “A successful MRI scan requires the patient to stay completely
still as movement can reduce the quality of the image taken and
potentially affect diagnostic accuracy. However, staying still in the
scanner can be difficult for some people, and some patients do not
manage to remain in the scanner long enough to complete the
examination.”
Some 83 outpatients who were due to have a MRI scan
were split into two groups. Both groups received the standard MRI Centre
information leaflet which included safety information, information
related to the appointment, technical features of an MRI scanner, data
protection and the experience that might be expected. Only one of these
groups received the study DVD.
The DVD contained two sections. The
first was ‘Preparation for MRI’ and included information about the
procedures to expect, information about what the scan experience would
feel like, a demonstration of a patient undergoing a scan, and
information about others’ experiences of having an MRI scan.
The
second section detailed relaxation techniques and encouraged patients to
practice the techniques before and during their scan. They were asked
to watch the DVD at least once before their scan appointment.
Of
the 41 patients who received the DVD, 35 had satisfactory scan outcomes.
In contrast, in the other group with 42 patients, only 23 had
satisfactory scans. A ‘satisfactory’ scan was one where patients
successfully stayed in the scanner for the full examination and had high
quality images (i.e. patient movement had not reduced image quality).
Dr
Powell explained: “We found that the vast majority of participants
found the DVD an easy format to use, with almost all participants
viewing the DVD at least once, with over half the participants using it
at least twice. Most of the participants found the DVD useful and said
it helped them to feel less anxious and more confident about taking the
scan.
“Given the high number of scans where either patients move
in the scanner, reducing image quality, or where patients do not manage
to stay in the scanner long enough to complete the examination, the
finding that an affordable, acceptable and effective intervention can be
sent to patients by post prior to their scan could have an important
impact on patient care and health care costs.”
This work was
funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia and was conducted
as part of Mahadir Ahmad’s PhD at the University of Aberdeen.
The full paper can be found here.