title: Predicting anxiety in magnetic resonance imaging scans.
abstract: This study evaluated a brief screening instrument for predicting psychological distress in patients undertaking magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The scale is adapted from Wolpe and Lang's (1964) Fear Survey Schedule (FSS; see Lukins, Davan, & Drummond, 1997). Noise and/or confinement were identified as the most unpleasant feature of the MRI by 48.3% of 118 outpatients. The MRI-FSS (Lukins et al., 1997; 9 items) significantly predicted the number of panic attack symptoms and state anxiety experienced during MRI scan better than a range of other measures. There was a significant increase in MRI-FSS scores from prescan to postscan among those who experienced high levels of anxiety during the scan. The MRI-FSS appears to be a useful indicator of likely adverse psychological reactions in the MRI scan that is sensitive to the sequelae of the MRI procedure.
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioural and Community Health Science, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia. l.harris@fhs.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: Ross G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Menzies
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000145:classification* / Q000209:etiology; D005239:Fear / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires