Prevalence of MRI Anxiety

Anxiety in the form of claustrophobia during MRI exams is common and continues to be a problem in many imaging departments around the world. It is estimated that nearly​​ 40% of patients that undergo this exam has some form of anxiety ranging from mild apprehension to full-blown panic attacks, resulting in premature termination of up to 20% of examinations17–20. Although studies estimate the rate of claustrophobia to be nearly 40%, some MRI technologists hold a different opinion. A survey of technologists concentrating on the prevalence of anxiety/claustrophobia in MRI patients estimated up to 71% of their patients experienced anxiety and approximately 19% caused major scanning issues14,21,22. Any technologist reading these statistics is probably shaking their head in agreement and can perhaps relate to the higher estimate of how often you encounter anxious patients.

The lack of images due to early exam termination or appointments canceled by patients who have had previous anxious MRI experiences (“no-shows”) interrupts their medical treatment16. Furthermore, these cancellations and/or no-shows are costly to the organization due to lost revenue from wasted appointments, labor hours, and intern technologists’ salaries2. This topic will be discussed in more detail in the Financial Impact of MRI Anxiety section of this chapter.

Anxiety in the MRI environment is significant and warrants more attention in formal MRI training programs. With significant incidences of canceled MRI exams, along with its financial impact on healthcare costs, additional training of MRI technologists is not only necessary but imperative in order to keep healthcare costs associated with this increasingly popular diagnostic imaging modality affordable23,24.