Good scent in MRI: can scent management optimize patient tolerance?

Psychological distress for patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may range from mild anxiety to serious panic attacks. Scents associated with a sense of wellbeing have been used to diminish psychological stress in various clinical conditions.

To evaluate the influence of inhalation aromatherapy in the reduction of artifacts in patients undergoing MRI.

Based on the assumption aromatherapy will lead to significant reduction of patient-related motion artifacts (PRMA) in MRI, a randomized controlled trial with two groups of 54 patients was enrolled. The primary endpoint was the number of sequences with PRMAs. Secondary outcomes were improvements of mood measured with the ASTS questionnaire as well as patient's recommendation to fellow patients tested by a visual analogue scale. Incidence and intensity of adverse events were documented.

Ninety-five patients were included in the statistical analysis. We were not able to detect a significant reduction of PRMAs. There were also no significant differences in mood or in relation to the feeling before and after examination. The only differences that neared significance were "positive mood" and "recommendation". No adverse reaction was observed.

Although aromatherapy has been effective in enhancing patient's mood or wellbeing in a variety of stressful clinical settings, we were not able to find a similar effect. Neither the primary nor the secondary endpoints reached a clinical meaningful magnitude.