Music during image-guided breast biopsy reduces patient anxiety levels

Interventions to decrease anxiety associated with image-guided breast biopsy are needed. Music intervention has been shown to be helpful in other outpatient procedural settings but data are limited regarding its effectiveness in the setting of breast biopsy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether listening to self-selected music during image-guided breast biopsy lowers anxiety.

This randomized controlled trial was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPAA-compliant. 157 women between 18 and 75 (mean, 49.7 years) years of age, undergoing stereotactic or ultrasound-guided core biopsy, were enrolled in the study and were prospectively randomized to music or usual care. Patients in the music group listened to music of their choice during the biopsy. All patients completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after the biopsy. Differences in pre-biopsy and post-biopsy anxiety levels were compared between the two groups using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Baseline trait anxiety scores in the two groups were similar (34.0 music, 31.5 control, p = .11). Patients in both groups showed lower state anxiety levels after the biopsy (45.6 to 34.3 music, 41.0 to 33.8 control, p < .001 for both). Patients who listened to music showed a greater reduction in anxiety (mean decrease 11.2 music, 7.3 control, p = .03). Post-biopsy anxiety levels were similar to normative values for working women in the same age group.

Listening to self-selected music reduces anxiety in patients undergoing breast biopsy.