Discomforts referred by individuals submitted to magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (RMI) it is being widely used in different medical specialties as complementary diagnosis and as follow up of several pathologies. The objective of this research was to draw a profile on the patients submitted to RMI, identifying anxiety signs provoked by the claustrophobia and other difficulties told by the customers, during the accomplishment of the exam. It is a quantitative descriptive study, accomplished at a radiology clinic in the city of Londrina - PR, in the second semester of 2004. Patients over 18, of both genders with capacity of personal interaction and that had accepted to participate voluntarily, signing a term of free consent were interviewed. The information was collected through a questionnaire, containing closed questions. The results showed that 24% of the customers told that the need to stay immobile during the exam had caused discomfort; 23% complained about the noise emitted by the apparel; 14% affirmed that the form of tunnel of the apparel caused the claustrophobia; 3% referred that the pain provoked by the disease, associated to the corporal immobility increased the discomfort during the accomplishment of the exam and 3% did not get to accomplish the exam due to they present anxiety symptoms and claustrophobia. We believed that this study could instrument the nursing professionals, providing them technical and scientific knowledge to better inform the patients, to render an attendance addressed to minimize their discomfort, in order to accomplish the exam with good quality, reducing its time and costs.