Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention

Sanae van der Vleuten-Chraibi; Sanne Nauts; Dobromiła Barańska; Emilio J. Inarejos Clemente; Jonas Sterup Bovin; Nadia Najafi; Julian A. Luetkens; Marianne Alison; Hilla M. Biermann; Fabian Peckman; Privender Saini

doi:10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0

Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention

Sanae van der Vleuten-Chraibi^*, Sanne Nauts^*, Dobromiła Barańska, Emilio J. Inarejos Clemente, Jonas Sterup Bovin, Nadia Najafi, Julian A. Luetkens, Marianne Alison, Hilla M. Biermann, Fabian Peckman, Privender Saini^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Radiology

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice for pediatric patients. However, it can be challenging to scan young children awake while maintaining a high image quality with an efficient, patient-friendly workflow.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated if an audio-visual intervention with specially designed pediatric content could reduce MRI-related patient anxiety and workflow-issues in children during an awake MRI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six European hospitals, children (n = 175; aged 6-12 years) were scanned with child-friendly content (intervention) or without (control). Staff recorded children's stress levels before, during, and after the MRI on a 6-point Likert scale. Scan issues (i.e., repeat scans and interruptions) were recorded by staff and extracted from the MRI logfiles.

RESULTS: The stress level of young children (aged 6-10 years) in the intervention group decreased more strongly from before to after the MRI compared to the control group, F(2,96) = 7.84, P < 0.001. They also had significantly fewer scan issues as reported by staff, F(1,169) = 8.36, P = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.58, and as logged by the MRI system, F(1,156) = 8.10, P = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.45. The used pediatric content showed no significant effects on older children (aged 10 + years).

CONCLUSION: A child-friendly audio-visual intervention can help reduce stress levels of young children (aged 6-10 years) and support a smooth workflow.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05089955, date: 2021-10-22.

Original language	English
Journal	Pediatric Radiology
Volume	55
Issue number	9
Pages (from-to)	1934-1942
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0301-0449
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025

Keywords

Anxiety
Audio-visual content
Awake-scanning
Magnetic resonance imaging
Patient experience
Pediatric
Workflow

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van der Vleuten-Chraibi, S., Nauts, S., Barańska, D., Inarejos Clemente, E. J., Sterup Bovin, J., Najafi, N., Luetkens, J. A., Alison, M., Biermann, H. M., Peckman, F., & Saini, P. (2025). Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention. Pediatric Radiology, 55(9), 1934-1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0

van der Vleuten-Chraibi, S, Nauts, S, Barańska, D, Inarejos Clemente, EJ, Sterup Bovin, J, Najafi, N, Luetkens, JA, Alison, M, Biermann, HM, Peckman, F & Saini, P 2025, 'Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention', Pediatric Radiology, vol. 55, no. 9, pp. 1934-1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0

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title = "Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice for pediatric patients. However, it can be challenging to scan young children awake while maintaining a high image quality with an efficient, patient-friendly workflow.OBJECTIVE: We investigated if an audio-visual intervention with specially designed pediatric content could reduce MRI-related patient anxiety and workflow-issues in children during an awake MRI.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six European hospitals, children (n = 175; aged 6-12 years) were scanned with child-friendly content (intervention) or without (control). Staff recorded children's stress levels before, during, and after the MRI on a 6-point Likert scale. Scan issues (i.e., repeat scans and interruptions) were recorded by staff and extracted from the MRI logfiles.RESULTS: The stress level of young children (aged 6-10 years) in the intervention group decreased more strongly from before to after the MRI compared to the control group, F(2,96) = 7.84, P < 0.001. They also had significantly fewer scan issues as reported by staff, F(1,169) = 8.36, P = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.58, and as logged by the MRI system, F(1,156) = 8.10, P = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.45. The used pediatric content showed no significant effects on older children (aged 10 + years).CONCLUSION: A child-friendly audio-visual intervention can help reduce stress levels of young children (aged 6-10 years) and support a smooth workflow.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05089955, date: 2021-10-22.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Audio-visual content, Awake-scanning, Magnetic resonance imaging, Patient experience, Pediatric, Workflow",

author = "\{van der Vleuten-Chraibi\}, Sanae and Sanne Nauts and Dobromi{\l}a Bara{\'n}ska and \{Inarejos Clemente\}, \{Emilio J.\} and \{Sterup Bovin\}, Jonas and Nadia Najafi and Luetkens, \{Julian A.\} and Marianne Alison and Biermann, \{Hilla M.\} and Fabian Peckman and Privender Saini",

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year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0",

language = "English",

volume = "55",

pages = "1934--1942",

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T1 - Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow

T2 - impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention

AU - van der Vleuten-Chraibi, Sanae

AU - Nauts, Sanne

AU - Barańska, Dobromiła

AU - Inarejos Clemente, Emilio J.

AU - Sterup Bovin, Jonas

AU - Najafi, Nadia

AU - Luetkens, Julian A.

AU - Alison, Marianne

AU - Biermann, Hilla M.

AU - Peckman, Fabian

AU - Saini, Privender

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice for pediatric patients. However, it can be challenging to scan young children awake while maintaining a high image quality with an efficient, patient-friendly workflow.OBJECTIVE: We investigated if an audio-visual intervention with specially designed pediatric content could reduce MRI-related patient anxiety and workflow-issues in children during an awake MRI.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six European hospitals, children (n = 175; aged 6-12 years) were scanned with child-friendly content (intervention) or without (control). Staff recorded children's stress levels before, during, and after the MRI on a 6-point Likert scale. Scan issues (i.e., repeat scans and interruptions) were recorded by staff and extracted from the MRI logfiles.RESULTS: The stress level of young children (aged 6-10 years) in the intervention group decreased more strongly from before to after the MRI compared to the control group, F(2,96) = 7.84, P < 0.001. They also had significantly fewer scan issues as reported by staff, F(1,169) = 8.36, P = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.58, and as logged by the MRI system, F(1,156) = 8.10, P = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.45. The used pediatric content showed no significant effects on older children (aged 10 + years).CONCLUSION: A child-friendly audio-visual intervention can help reduce stress levels of young children (aged 6-10 years) and support a smooth workflow.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05089955, date: 2021-10-22.

AB - BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice for pediatric patients. However, it can be challenging to scan young children awake while maintaining a high image quality with an efficient, patient-friendly workflow.OBJECTIVE: We investigated if an audio-visual intervention with specially designed pediatric content could reduce MRI-related patient anxiety and workflow-issues in children during an awake MRI.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six European hospitals, children (n = 175; aged 6-12 years) were scanned with child-friendly content (intervention) or without (control). Staff recorded children's stress levels before, during, and after the MRI on a 6-point Likert scale. Scan issues (i.e., repeat scans and interruptions) were recorded by staff and extracted from the MRI logfiles.RESULTS: The stress level of young children (aged 6-10 years) in the intervention group decreased more strongly from before to after the MRI compared to the control group, F(2,96) = 7.84, P < 0.001. They also had significantly fewer scan issues as reported by staff, F(1,169) = 8.36, P = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.58, and as logged by the MRI system, F(1,156) = 8.10, P = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.45. The used pediatric content showed no significant effects on older children (aged 10 + years).CONCLUSION: A child-friendly audio-visual intervention can help reduce stress levels of young children (aged 6-10 years) and support a smooth workflow.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05089955, date: 2021-10-22.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Audio-visual content

KW - Awake-scanning

KW - Magnetic resonance imaging

KW - Patient experience

KW - Pediatric

KW - Workflow

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009630085

U2 - 10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0

DO - 10.1007/s00247-025-06308-0

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40613840

AN - SCOPUS:105009630085

SN - 0301-0449

VL - 55

SP - 1934

EP - 1942

JO - Pediatric Radiology

JF - Pediatric Radiology

IS - 9

ER -

Magnetic resonance imaging related anxiety and workflow: impact of a child-friendly audio-visual intervention

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Keywords

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