EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS IN REDUCING THE NEED FOR GENERAL ANESTHESIA DURING PEDIATRIC MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) SCANS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a common diagnostic tool for pediatric patients, but the need for general anesthesia (GA) during the procedure poses risks and adds to healthcare costs. The purpose of this research was to determine if children aged 4-12 who were given video-based informational preparation before undergoing MRI scans under GA had a lower rate of MRI scans requiring GA. Thirty children and their parents were included in the study, which spanned over a 2-month period. The "MRI Journey for Pediatric Patient Under General Anesthesia (GA)" video was shown to every child for 30 minutes prior to their MRI scan to help them feel more comfortable with the process. The study results demonstrated that video-based informational preparation significantly reduced the number of MRI scans conducted under GA in children aged 4-12 years (p < 0.05, ANOVA). After comparing the number of MRI scans performed under GA before and after the implementation of the educational video, and then analyzed the results to determine if there was a statistically significant difference, the study found out that the number of MRI scans performed under GA decreased from 63% to 13% after the implementation of the educational video. The study also discovered through the survey results that healthcare expenditures were significantly impacted by the utilization of GA for MRI scans in children, with the average cost of each MRI scan under GA being 1500 SAR. The study concludes that video-based informational preparation is an effective and cost-efficient method for preparing children for MRI scans, and can significantly reduce the need for GA. The radiology department may consider incorporating the use of this educational video into their routine operations to prepare children for MRI scans.