Claustrophobia Symptoms in Individuals Undergoing FDG-PET Imaging: Evidence-Based Implications for Nursing Management

BackgroundFluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is an indispensable imaging modality within precision medical practice. Nevertheless, the enclosed scanner space often triggers claustrophobic distress in scanned patients. This cross-sectional research aimed to quantify the prevalence of claustrophobia among individuals receiving FDG-PET scans and clarify relevant predictive factors linked to this adverse emotional response.MethodsA single-center cross-sectional investigation enrolled a total of 542 participants who completed FDG-PET imaging from March 2025 to November 2025. Study data were gathered via a self-designed questionnaire named Survey of Claustrophobic Severity and Nursing Demands for Patients Undergoing FDG-PET Scans.ResultsModerate to severe claustrophobic symptoms occurred in 37.27% of all subjects (202 out of 542). Multivariate Logistic regression revealed 5 statistically significant independent predictors of moderate-to-severe claustrophobia (all P < 0.05): aged 75 years or older (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.15-4.51), female gender (OR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.25-2.96), education attainment at junior high school level or below (OR = 2.53, 95%CI: 1.61-3.98), first FDG-PET scan experience (OR = 2.86, 95%CI: 1.89-4.32), and insufficient pre-scan relevant knowledge (OR = 3.46, 95%CI: 2.16-5.54). A risk scoring system built upon these 5 predictors allocated 1 point to each risk indicator, the model demonstrated satisfactory discriminative capacity.ConclusionA considerable proportion of FDG-PET scan patients suffer from moderate or severe claustrophobia, which is simultaneously influenced by personal demographic attributes and procedure-associated variables. The newly developed risk scoring tool enables efficient identification of patients at high risk of severe claustrophobic reactions.