L’objectif principal de cette étude est de comparer l’anxiété des patients réalisant une IRM.

Deux cent huit patients ont participé à cette étude. Quatre groupes ont été formés en fonction de la présence vs absence d’environnement lumineux, d’écran et de musique. Un questionnaire a été distribué aux patients afin d’analyser leur anxiété par rapport à l’examen et dans la vie de tous les jours et des questions ouvertes leur ont été posées afin de recueillir le vécu de l’examen (points positifs et axes d’amélioration).

Les participants qui ont passé leur examen dans une salle contenant un environnement lumineux équipé d’un écran avec une musique à tempo lent ont un score d’anxiété significativement moins élevé, rapportent davantage de satisfaction et proposent moins d’axes d’amélioration par rapport aux trois autres groupes.

Les résultats de cette étude devraient encourager les centres à se doter de ces nouvelles installations. L’atmosphère relaxante — sensations visuelles et sonores apaisantes — agit positivement sur l’anxiété des patients. Bien que ce travail témoigne de l’intérêt d’un environnement lumineux avec écran sur l’anxiété des patients, celui-ci ne remplacera jamais la prise en charge des manipulateurs en électroradiologie médicale et des radiologues, et notamment toutes les informations transmises et le soutien proposé en amont de l’examen.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imagery exam, which is considered stressful/worrying for patients. This anxiety is related to several factors: negative beliefs linked to the lack of knowledge about the procedure of the exam, duration, noise of the MRI, etc. Several interventions, before and during the MRI were proposed and evaluated with the aim of reducing anxiety for patients (information given to patients, psychological preparation before the exam and hypnosis, aromatherapy, sedation, environment and positioning of the patient). While the health service is more and more centered on cost-efficiency and pressure for greater patient throughput, it is important to find appropriate interventions to improve patient tolerance of MRIs.

The objective of this study was to compare anxiety of patients based on the MRI luminous environment.

208 patients aged 18–70 years participated in the study. Four subgroups were created according to the presence or absence of luminous environment, screen and music: G1 (60 participants, with luminous environment, without screen, music with fast tempo); G2 (60 participants, with luminous environment, with screen, music with slow tempo); G3 (27 participants, without luminous environment, without music); G4 (61 participants, without luminous environment, music with fast tempo). All participants completed a questionnaire to evaluate their anxiety regarding the exam (anxiety-state, AE) and in everyday life (anxiety-trait, AT): STAI-Y. Open questions were also asked to participants in order to gain an understanding of their experience of the exam (positive points and suggestions for improvements).

The results showed a significant difference between the groups of the AE: patients of group G1 showed more AE than patients in group G2 (p=0.037), patients of group G2 showed less AE than those of group G3 (p=0.001), and patients of group G3 showed more AE than patients in group G4 (p=0.019). No significative difference was found between the 3 groups in the AT. The participants who underwent exams in a room with a luminous environment equipped with a screen with slow tempo music reported more satisfaction and offered fewer suggestions for improvement compared with the two other groups.

This study has revealed that the environment in which patients undergo their exam affects their level of anxiety during the exam. A luminous environment equipped with a screen led to a considerable decrease in patient anxiety during the MRI exam. Technological innovations are allowing the patient to be the center of radiographers focus more and more. Trying to priorities improvement of patient well-being consequently facilitates their work. Taking into account the cost and increasing number of medical imagery exams, prevention of anxiety and its undesirable side-effects is not only important for patients, but also avoids wastage of staff and of time. The results of this study should encourage health centers to invest in these new installations, keeping in mind that new technologies can never replace information and support offered before the exam by radiologists and radiographers.