AI Article Synopsis

  • MRI plays a critical role in managing brain tumor cases in children and young adults, but the emotional reactions and understanding of families regarding MRIs haven't been extensively studied.
  • A qualitative study with interviews from 14 families revealed four main themes: the reception of results, emotional responses, understanding the images, and the perceived value of MRIs, with all families finding some benefit in viewing the scans despite varying emotional reactions.
  • It's important for clinical teams to effectively explain MRIs, adapt to families' evolving preferences on viewing them, and manage the stress related to waiting for results, prioritizing accuracy over the speed of information delivery.

Article Abstract

Background: MRI is essential to the clinical management of children and young people with brain tumours. Advances in technology have made images more complicated to interpret, yet more easily available digitally. It is common practice to show these to patients and families, but how they emotionally respond to, understand and value, seeing brain tumour MRIs has not been formally studied.

Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 14 families (8 patients, 15 parents) purposively sampled from paediatric patients (0 to 18 years) attending a large UK children's hospital for treatment or monitoring of a brain tumour. Transcripts were analysed thematically using the Framework Method.

Results: Four themes were identified: Receiving results (waiting for results, getting results back, preferences to see images), Emotional responses to MRIs, Understanding of images (what they can show, what they cannot show, confusion) and Value of MRIs (aesthetics, aiding understanding, contextualised knowledge/emotional benefits, enhanced control, enhanced working relationships, no value). All families found value in seeing MRIs, including reassurance, hope, improved understanding and enhanced feeling of control over the condition. However emotional responses varied enormously.

Conclusions: Clinical teams should always explain MRIs after 'framing' the information. This should minimise participant confusion around meaning, periodically evident even after many years. Patient and parent preferences for being shown MRIs varied, and often changed over time, therefore clinicians should identify, record and update these preferences. Time between scanning and receiving the result was stressful causing 'scanxiety', but most prioritised accuracy over speed of receiving results.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-317306DOI Listing

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