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Published on: July 30, 2009
Patient and Family Perspectives on Point-of-Care Low-Field Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Children in the
Christina Lee1, Jason Toliao2, Kayla Guzman3
1Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
Insights
Point-of-care, low-field brain MRI (POC LF-MRI) offers a more comfortable and preferred alternative to conventional neuroimaging for pediatric patients. This bedside imaging modality avoids radiation exposure and patient transport, enhancing the acute care experience.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Pediatric Neurology
- Healthcare Technology
Background:
- Point-of-care, low-field brain MRI (POC LF-MRI) enables bedside neuroimaging at lower magnetic field strengths.
- POC LF-MRI may mitigate risks associated with traditional methods, such as radiation exposure and patient separation from caregivers.
- This study evaluates patient and family perceptions of POC LF-MRI compared to standard neuroimaging in pediatric acute care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess patient and family perspectives on POC LF-MRI.
- To compare experiences with POC LF-MRI versus standard neuroimaging (CT or MRI).
- To inform the clinical integration of POC LF-MRI in pediatric emergency settings.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study included children under 18 undergoing neuroimaging in emergency, inpatient, or intensive care units.
- A research POC LF-MRI was conducted within 72 hours of clinical neuroimaging.
- Surveys measured participant/family satisfaction, comfort, and modality preferences, followed by descriptive and comparative analyses.
Main Results:
- Participants reported higher satisfaction and comfort with POC LF-MRI compared to conventional neuroimaging (P = 0.003 and P = 0.004, respectively).
- A majority of patients/families preferred POC LF-MRI (63.2%), citing reduced intimidation (P = 0.002) and importance of radiation avoidance (98.2% for CT subgroup).
- 94 participants had CT scans, and 43 had conventional MRI scans.
Conclusions:
- POC LF-MRI is perceived as more comfortable and preferable than conventional neuroimaging modalities.
- Findings support the clinical implementation of bedside POC LF-MRI in pediatric acute care environments.
- Enhanced patient and family experience is a key benefit of POC LF-MRI.
Background:
Point-of-care, low-field brain magnetic resonance imaging (POC LF-MRI) systems allow for bedside neuroimaging at low magnetic field strengths. POC LF-MRI can potentially avoid drawbacks of other scanning modalities, such as radiation exposure and patient transport away from caregivers. This study aims to describe patient and family perspectives toward POC LF-MRI and compare their experiences to standard clinical neuroimaging (computed tomography [CT] or MRI) in pediatric acute care settings.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective, single-center cohort study enrolling children <18 years undergoing standard-of-care clinical neuroimaging in the emergency department, inpatient units, or intensive care unit. A research POC LF-MRI was performed within 72 hours of clinical neuroimaging. Participants/families completed a survey assessing satisfaction, comfort, and imaging modality preferences. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed.
Results:
Of 137 participants (median age 12 years [interquartile range 8-14 years]), 94 (68.6%) underwent clinical neuroimaging with CT and 43 (31.4%) underwent conventional MRI. Participants rated their POC LF-MRI experience more favorably than conventional neuroimaging (P = 0.003) and reported greater comfort (P = 0.004). Most patients/families preferred POC LF-MRI (n = 86, 63.2%), while 16.9% (n = 23) preferred conventional neuroimaging, and 19.9% (n = 27) reported an equal preference. Among those undergoing CT, the majority (n = 54/55, 98.2%) rated radiation avoidance as important to their preferences. Patients/families found POC LF-MRI less intimidating than conventional neuroimaging (P = 0.002).
Conclusions:
POC LF-MRI was perceived as more comfortable and preferable to conventional neuroimaging. These findings can complement the clinical implementation of bedside POC LF-MRI in pediatric acute care settings.
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