[Communications by health professionals to patients undergoing diagnostic tests with new technologies]

Descriptive exploratory study with quanti-qualitative approach accomplished at public and private net units in Goiânia--GO from August to September, 1997 aiming at observing clients understanding of communication of the professionals who perform high technology exams and identifying whether any orientation provided to clients about the exams that are to be performed and their impressions during their performance. The population is of clients of both sexes who have undergone high technology diagnosis examinations. The data have been collected by the authors and research aids through semistructured interviews among the study subject clients. By the results, we have concluded that the majority of the clienta does not receive any orientation, lacked information about the exam that is to be performed for several reasons, including fear of the unknown. Communication was restrict. Fear of pain, of the result, discomfort have also been reported.