Conclusion

In conclusion, anxiety disorders, claustrophobia, and panic attacks are major contributors to MRI patient anxiety, and to a lesser extent agoraphobia and the psychological disorder PTSD22,71. These disorders not only cause patients issues, but they make our job as technologists more difficult and need to be addressed22,25,72. The knowledge you gain from familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of these disorders gives you another tool for managing anxious patients. As a technologist, you know that patients don’t always inform you about their anxiety; hence, the ability to recognize the emotional state of patients before the exam begins will allow you to adjust your patient care strategy and, ultimately, how to help them complete their exam while making your job easier.