To Sedate or Not to Sedate: The Future of Pediatric Imaging

While performing imaging studies without anesthesia is the norm in adults, pediatric patients present a distinct challenge. Anxiety, discomfort, or fear may make it difficult for children, especially young children, to remain motionless during imaging examinations, particularly during extended examinations such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The sudden movement of the table or the loud noise of the scanner may startle a hypervigilant child, resulting in motion artifacts which lower diagnostic accuracy and may necessitate repeat imaging. This may result in both diagnostic and therapeutic delays, as well as additional costs to the facility and potentially the patient’s family.