Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can be performed without the use of anesthesia in patients 7-10 years of age with child life support and MRI video goggles

Background Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is utilized as both a primary and adjunctive imaging modality for the diagnosis and evaluation of congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy and characterization of myocardial iron loading. Adequate image quality and accurate diagnosis is dependent on the patient lying still; however, CMR exams can be long, requiring children to lie still for periods of time up to 1.5hours. In order to limit motion in children, anesthesia services are often required; and prior to August 2012 our institution did not offer awake CMR prior to 10 years of age unless extenuating circumstances exist. After August 2012, our CMR team instituted a change in policy to attempt CMR without anesthesia in patients less than 10 years of age if the educational tools utilized by child life were successful. The aim of this study was to determine whether our institution can decrease anesthesia utilization, safely, for CMR in children age 7-10 years of age while using child life specialists prior to CMR and video goggles during CMR.