Learning Objectives
Learn the broader implications of knowledge in MRI psychology
Learn the different ways this book can be used
Review the lessons learned in previous chapters
Anxiety in the MRI environment is a worldwide phenomenon that causes many issues for patients, technologists, imaging departments, ordering physicians, and other medical professionals. Of course, the primary sufferers are the patients as it may cause delays in their medical treatment when an MRI exam is terminated prematurely, canceled, or results in non-diagnostic images due to patient movement. Even worse is the possibility that a patient is so frightened that they don’t show for their potentially life-saving diagnostic test. It also makes our job as technologists more challenging and complex.
Considering the broad implications, vastness of the issue, and considerable academic research affirming its negative effects, it is surprising that this topic hasn’t made its way from the world of academia into formal MRI training programs or continuing education. The reason I wrote this book was to gather all the years of research I conducted during my graduate studies so that technologists like me could find the answer to the ongoing question: What is going on with this patient? My hope is that after reading the book you can now answer this question without guessing or assuming what may or may not be going on. I wanted to provide concrete evidence-based answers to this question. During my studies, I knew the first step in answering that question was learning the common psychological issues MRI patients may experience. The MRI environment is like no other in a hospital or imaging center, which may be the reason some patients have such intense psychological reactions. Thus, the idea of creating a new form of psychology specific to MRI not only made sense, but is essential. As mentioned in the first chapter, a technologist’s education is based primarily on the science, anatomy, learning how to operate the machine, setting up exams, and patient safety. There has been little attention given to patient care and even less to the psychological components involved in patient care. This book was written to help bridge that educational gap in the hope that this knowledge would help technologists not only learn what is going on with their patients, but also to recognize the symptoms and, in turn, provide better patient care.