Many patients find that an oral benzodiazepine, such as Xanax, Ativan, or Valium, taken prior to the exam sufficiently relieves their anxiety and allows them to complete an MRI with relative ease.
For patients who may experience claustrophobia during an MRI scan and require prophylaxis, the University of Wisconsin Department of Radiology suggests the use of Lorazepam (Ativan, Temesta), a short-to-intermediate duration benzodiazepine.
Sedation for diagnostic services conjures up images of pain and discomfort. MRI sedation is used during an MRI for patients who cannot remain still in the scanner due to problems such as anxiety, claustrophobia, or a condition that causes physical discomfort.
Chloral Hydrate – Belongs to the group of medications known as sedatives and hypnotics. It promotes sedation and sleep by acting on certain areas of the brain. It is given orally. Possible side effects include: slow breathing rate, vomiting, irritability and prolonged sleepiness.
A. Diazepam 5 mg po, once for MRI study or Lorazepam 1mg po, once for MRI study.
The procedure typically will last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of scan required by your physician. You just need to be as still as possible during the exam. In fact, some patients fall asleep during the MRI exam. A technologist will be able to see you at all times.
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT TAKE your medication until you arrive for the MRI and the technologist has told you to do so. We need to ensure you are properly screened and that we are running on time before you take the medication.
The open, upright MRI machine is much better tolerated by patients who are claustrophobic. The scans can be performed with the patient sitting, lying down, or standing. People can watch television while the scans are performed. The unit is open in the front, back, and top.
The two main medication classes most often prescribed are: Benzodiazepines, such as the antianxiety drugs alprazolam (Xanax®), clonazepam (Klonopin®) and diazepam (Valium®). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as paroxetine (Paxil®) or escitalopram (Lexapro®).
Open MRI is a modified type of unit that is typically designed to be completely open, either side to side or front to back. The obvious draw to open MRI is the fact that the open spacing can alleviate stress in a patient with severe claustrophobia.
Some techniques that can reduce the anxiety that comes with feelings of claustrophobia include focused breathing and covering your eyes with a towel during the exam. RAYUS also offers headphones for listening to music and, for Open Upright MRI patients, watching TV is an option.
When not properly accommodated during an MRI, claustrophobic patients may experience panic attacks, which can bring on increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, chills, sweating, and other distressing symptoms.
A CT scan may be recommended if a patient can't have an MRI. People with metal implants, pacemakers or other implanted devices shouldn't have an MRI due to the powerful magnet inside the machine. CT scans create images of bones and soft tissues.
Many clinicians agree that anxiety causes movement artifact and incomplete processing during the MRI [15,16,17]. Prolonged and repeated MRI procedure result in decrease in the diagnostic value of MRI and deterioration of image quality.
This can be taken as 1mg twice a day and can go up to 5mg taken 3 times a day. The dose can be increased to up to 20mg, taken 3 times a day if needed.
It is much less confining than an MRI. It is also very quiet and comfortable. Most claustrophobic patients have no difficulty with the procedure. However, if you are severely claustrophobic, you might ask your doctor to consider a mild sedative.
Can a subject wear deodorant for an MRI scan? It is recommended to refrain from wearing any powder, perfumes, deodorant and/or lotions on your underarms and chest area prior to the procedure. This is to prevent the possibility of localized burns because these items may have metal in them.
Propofol will be given through an I.V. to induce sleep. This medication has a short duration of action and a rapid recovery time and is administered to make sure you remain asleep during the entire MRI study.
Since the MRI machines are magnets, it is best to not apply deodorants, antiperspirants, perfumes, or body lotions before the examination. These items contain metals that might interfere with the magnetic field inside the MRI machine and cause you to have distorted images and wrong results.
When it is possible to give diazepam to patients with claustrophobia at the time of CMR, it is a safe, predictable, and highly effective method of obtaining a successful result.
By mouth. 5–10 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure, for debilitated patients, use elderly dose. 2.5–5 mg, to be given 1–2 hours before procedure.