Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Canada M5G 1X8.
Pediatr Radiol. 2012 Feb;42(2):183-7. doi: 10.1007/s00247-011-2219-8. Epub 2011 Aug 23.
MRI in small children generally necessitates the use of general anesthesia.
We describe our initial results with a new technique that we name the feed-and-sleep method, whereby an infant can undergo a cardiac MRI without the need for general anesthesia or sedation.
The infant is fasted for 4 h prior to the scan and is then fed by his mother prior to the scan. He is then swaddled with 1 to 2 infant sheets before being placed in a vacuum-bag immobilizer. As air is removed from the bag, the immobilizer becomes a rigid cradle that fits the infant's body. We prioritize the sequences according to the purpose of the study and in the order of clinical importance.
Between January 2010 and January 2011 a total of 20 infants with the median age 14.5 days (minimum 2 days, maximum 155 days) underwent CMR studies via this method. All were performed successfully with no distress to the infant. The median scan time was 46.5 min (minimum 20, maximum 66). All had complex congenital heart defects and all planned sequences were acquired with sufficient quality to allow accurate diagnosis and to plan appropriate surgery.
Using this technique, infants younger than 6 months can complete a cardiovascular MRI without the need for sedation or general anesthesia. We advocate the incorporation of this safe and reliable technique into routine clinical practice.
在小婴儿中进行 MRI 通常需要使用全身麻醉。
我们描述了一种新技术的初步结果，我们将其命名为“喂养-睡眠”法，通过该方法，婴儿可以在无需全身麻醉或镇静的情况下进行心脏 MRI。
在扫描前，婴儿禁食 4 小时，然后在扫描前由母亲喂养。然后，将 1 到 2 张婴儿床单包裹婴儿，然后将其放入真空袋固定器中。当从袋子中抽出空气时，固定器会变成一个刚性摇篮，适合婴儿的身体。我们根据研究目的和临床重要性的顺序优先安排序列。
2010 年 1 月至 2011 年 1 月期间，共有 20 名中位年龄为 14.5 天（最小 2 天，最大 155 天）的婴儿通过该方法进行了 CMR 研究。所有婴儿均成功完成检查，无不适。中位扫描时间为 46.5 分钟（最小 20 分钟，最大 66 分钟）。所有婴儿均患有复杂的先天性心脏缺陷，所有计划的序列均具有足够的质量，可进行准确诊断和制定适当的手术计划。
使用这种技术，6 个月以下的婴儿可以在无需镇静或全身麻醉的情况下完成心血管 MRI。我们提倡将这种安全可靠的技术纳入常规临床实践。
