MRI-related anxiety and patient-facing digital tools among adults with prior MRI experience: A cross-sectional study
- 1Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 145111, Riyadh, 4545, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background and objective: Patient-facing digital tools serve different purposes across the MRI pathway, but access alone may not capture their relationship with anxiety. This study examined recalled MRI-related anxiety and digital experiences among adults with previous MRI examinations in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An electronic cross-sectional questionnaire included 678 adults. The 15-item Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Anxiety Questionnaire (MRI-AQ; possible range 15–60) assessed recalled anxiety during the most recent examination. Multivariable linear regression used HC3 robust standard errors. Tool-specific analyses were exploratory, with Holm correction. Perceived effects of digital tools and online result viewing were described separately. Results: The mean MRI-AQ score was 35.17 ± 10.13 (Cronbach's α = 0.883). Self-reported claustrophobia had the largest adjusted association with higher scores (yes versus no: B = 8.73, 95% CI 7.01–10.45). At least five lifetime examinations were associated with lower scores than one examination (B = −3.45, 95% CI −5.78 to −1.12). Any digital-tool use was not associated with the score (B = 0.07, 95% CI −1.45 to 1.60), and no individual tool remained significant after Holm correction. Among 424 tool users, 78.3% perceived reduced anxiety. Among 189 participants who viewed results before clinician discussion, 41.3% reported increased anxiety. Conclusion: Recalled scan anxiety, perceived digital support, and concern after viewing results represented distinct experiences. The findings support evaluating specific preparation content and result-communication pathways prospectively; they do not establish the effectiveness of digital tools.
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BibTeX
@article{almanaa2026mrirelated,
title = {{MRI-related anxiety and patient-facing digital tools among adults with prior MRI experience: A cross-sectional study}},
author = {Mansour Almanaa},
journal = {Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.jrras.2026.102773},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrras.2026.102773},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - MRI-related anxiety and patient-facing digital tools among adults with prior MRI experience: A cross-sectional study
AU - Mansour Almanaa
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences
DO - 10.1016/j.jrras.2026.102773
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrras.2026.102773
AB - Background and objective: Patient-facing digital tools serve different purposes across the MRI pathway, but access alone may not capture their relationship with anxiety. This study examined recalled MRI-related anxiety and digital experiences among adults with previous MRI examinations in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An electronic cross-sectional questionnaire included 678 adults. The 15-item Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Anxiety Questionnaire (MRI-AQ; possible range 15–60) assessed recalled anxiety during the most recent examination. Multivariable linear regression used HC3 robust standard errors. Tool-specific analyses were exploratory, with Holm correction. Perceived effects of digital tools and online result viewing were described separately. Results: The mean MRI-AQ score was 35.17 ± 10.13 (Cronbach's α = 0.883). Self-reported claustrophobia had the largest adjusted association with higher scores (yes versus no: B = 8.73, 95% CI 7.01–10.45). At least five lifetime examinations were associated with lower scores than one examination (B = −3.45, 95% CI −5.78 to −1.12). Any digital-tool use was not associated with the score (B = 0.07, 95% CI −1.45 to 1.60), and no individual tool remained significant after Holm correction. Among 424 tool users, 78.3% perceived reduced anxiety. Among 189 participants who viewed results before clinician discussion, 41.3% reported increased anxiety. Conclusion: Recalled scan anxiety, perceived digital support, and concern after viewing results represented distinct experiences. The findings support evaluating specific preparation content and result-communication pathways prospectively; they do not establish the effectiveness of digital tools.
SN - 2314-7164
SN - 1687-8507
ER -