title: Good scent in MRI: can scent management optimize patient tolerance?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological distress for patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may range from mild anxiety to serious panic attacks. Scents associated with a sense of wellbeing have been used to diminish psychological stress in various clinical conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of inhalation aromatherapy in the reduction of artifacts in patients undergoing MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the assumption aromatherapy will lead to significant reduction of patient-related motion artifacts (PRMA) in MRI, a randomized controlled trial with two groups of 54 patients was enrolled. The primary endpoint was the number of sequences with PRMAs. Secondary outcomes were improvements of mood measured with the ASTS questionnaire as well as patient's recommendation to fellow patients tested by a visual analogue scale. Incidence and intensity of adverse events were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five patients were included in the statistical analysis. We were not able to detect a significant reduction of PRMAs. There were also no significant differences in mood or in relation to the feeling before and after examination. The only differences that neared significance were "positive mood" and "recommendation". No adverse reaction was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although aromatherapy has been effective in enhancing patient's mood or wellbeing in a variety of stressful clinical settings, we were not able to find a similar effect. Neither the primary nor the secondary endpoints reached a clinical meaningful magnitude.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Krankenhaus der Augustinerinnen, Cologne.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schellhammer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ostermann
authors.forename: Götz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heusser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016477:Artifacts; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: MRI; anxiety; controlled trial; patient tolerance; scent