Testing a Home Solution for Preparing Young Children for an Awake MRI: A Promising Smartphone ApplicationShow others and affiliations
2023 (English)In: Children, E-ISSN 2227-9067, Vol. 10, no 12, article id 1866Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Thanks to its non-invasive nature and high-resolution imaging capabilities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool for pediatric patients. However, the fear and anxiety experienced by young children during MRI scans often result in suboptimal image quality and the need for sedation/anesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a smartphone application called COSMO@home to prepare children for MRI scans to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia. The COSMO@home app was developed incorporating mini-games and an engaging storyline to prepare children for learning goals related to the MRI procedure. A multicenter study was conducted involving four hospitals in Belgium. Eligible children aged 4–10 years were prepared with the COSMO@home app at home. Baseline, pre-scan, and post-scan questionnaires measured anxiety evolution in two age groups (4–6 years and 7–10 years). Eighty-two children participated in the study, with 95% obtaining high-quality MRI images. The app was well-received by children and parents, with minimal technical difficulties reported. In the 4–6-year-old group (N = 33), there was a significant difference between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores, indicating an increase in anxiety levels prior to the scan. In the 7–10-year-old group (N = 49), no significant differences were observed between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores. Overall, the COSMO@home app proved to be useful in preparing children for MRI scans, with high satisfaction rates and successful image outcomes across different hospitals. The app, combined with minimal face-to-face guidance on the day of the scan, showed the potential to replace or assist traditional face-to-face training methods. This innovative approach has the potential to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia during pediatric MRI scans and its associated risks and improve patient experience.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) , 2023. Vol. 10, no 12, article id 1866
Keywords [en]
anxiety; Article; child; diagnostic imaging; follow up; hospital personnel; human; image quality; injury scale; learning; major clinical study; multicenter study; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; pediatric patient; prospective study; questionnaire; social support; training; wakefulness
National Category
Clinical Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-69284DOI: 10.3390/children10121866Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85180706218OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-69284DiVA, id: diva2:1826191
Note
This research was funded by EIT Health (https://eithealth.eu/product-service/cosmohome, accessed on 1 January 2019)
2024-01-112024-01-112024-01-11Bibliographically approved