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Effect of magnetic resonance imaging on core body temperature in anaesthetised children
1Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Insights
Children undergoing general anaesthesia (GA) for MRI scans are at risk of temperature changes. This study found that most anaesthetised children experienced hypothermia, not hyperthermia, during MRI.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Medical Imaging Physics
Background:
- Children require general anaesthesia (GA) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- GA poses risks of hypothermia and hyperthermia, potentially exacerbated by MRI's cool environment and radiofrequency heating.
- Understanding temperature fluctuations during pediatric MRI under GA is crucial for patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of hyperthermia and hypothermia in children undergoing MRI under GA.
- To identify risk factors associated with body temperature changes during these procedures.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 193 children (3 months to 6 years) undergoing MRI under GA.
- Pre- and post-scan tympanic temperatures were recorded without active warming/cooling devices.
- Analysis focused on temperature changes and associated risk factors.
Main Results:
- 52% of children became hypothermic post-MRI scan.
- No instances of hyperthermia were observed.
- A slight overall decrease in mean body temperature (0.28°C) was noted (P <0.001).
Conclusions:
- Core body temperature tends to decrease slightly in children during MRI under GA.
- Focus should be on mitigating the cooling effects of GA agents rather than MRI's heating effects.
- Further research into temperature regulation during pediatric MRI is warranted.
Abstract:
Children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often require general anaesthesia (GA). Children under GA are at risk of decreases in body temperature. This risk may be greater during MRI due to MRI scanners requiring cool ambient temperatures. Conversely, radiofrequency radiation emitted by MRI scanners is absorbed by the patient as heat energy, creating a risk of an increase in body temperature. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of anaesthetised children undergoing an MRI scan who develop hyperthermia or hypothermia, and the risk factors associated with temperature changes in these children. Pre-scan and post-scan tympanic temperatures were obtained from 193 children (aged three months to six years) undergoing an MRI procedure under GA. No active warming or cooling devices were used during the MRI scans. The median duration for anaesthesia was 42 minutes (35 to 57 minutes). Fifty-two percent of children were hypothermic after their scan, while no subjects were hyperthermic after their scan. The mean (± standard deviation) pre-scan temperature was 36.2°C±0.5°C, and the mean (± standard deviation) post-scan temperature was 35.9°C±0.6°C (an overall mean temperature decrease of 0.28°C was observed [95% confidence interval, -0.36°C to -0.19°C], P <0.001). In conclusion, core body temperature was found to decrease slightly during an MRI scan under GA. These results suggest that more focus is needed regarding the cooling effects of GA agents during MRI, as opposed to the heating effects of the MRI scanner.
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