Impact of a Sedation Reduction Protocol in Infants Undergoing MRI Scanning

Area of Science:

• Neonatal imaging
• Pediatric radiology
• Medical device technology

Background:

• Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for diagnosing infant brain abnormalities.
• Sedation for infant MRI, while sometimes necessary, poses risks.
• There's a growing emphasis on non-sedated or minimally sedated MRI approaches for infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an MRI bundle on sedation utilization in infants.
• To compare sedation rates before and after the implementation of a standardized MRI protocol.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post-intervention cohort study design was employed.
• An MRI bundle including a process map, safety checklist, and sedation questionnaire was developed.
• Data were collected from infants scanned between March 2018-February 2019 (pre-intervention) and March 2019-February 2022 (post-intervention).

Main Results:

• Sedation use decreased by 62%, from 29% pre-intervention to 18% post-intervention (P=0.0003).
• Post-intervention infants were 47.6% less likely to receive sedation, adjusting for age.
• Increased gestation-corrected age was associated with higher odds of sedation.

Conclusions:

• A standardized approach and protocol development can significantly reduce sedation for neonatal MRI.
• This study provides a framework for future research and integrated care interventions for neonatal MRI.
• Implementing an MRI bundle is effective in reducing sedation rates for infant MRI scans.