Purpose or Case Report: Prior studies have suggested that patients undergoing fetal MRI have a high level of anxiety, while other studies have indicated that patients have a limited understanding of the role of the radiologist in patient care. Further, many patients would prefer to learn their results immediately after the examination rather than wait to meet with their obstetrician. Our objective is to assess patient perception of what fetal MRI is and the role of the radiologist.
Methods & Materials: A voluntary anonymous survey consisting of 12 questions before and 5 questions after fetal MRI and consultation with a pediatric radiologist was administered to patients referred for fetal MRI at a tertiary care children’s hospital from July-August 2015. A total of 21 patients participated. 2 patients did not complete the second half of the survey.
Results: Prior to the consultation, 17 (81%) of the women surveyed believed a radiologist should discuss what to expect prior to the MRI, 18 (86%) believed a radiologist alone or in conjunction with their obstetrician should discuss the results and 19 (90%) the prognosis after the fetal MRI was completed. When asked when was an acceptable time to receive results, 17 (81%) wanted results immediately after the MRI, and 20 (95%) would rather receive results right away from the radiologist rather than wait to hear the results from their obstetrician. Of the 19 women who completed the survey after consultation with a pediatric radiologist, all (100%) felt it was very important for the radiologist to be involved in their consultation/care, and 18 (95%) felt the consultation was very helpful to understand the results of the fetal MRI. Moreover, 18 (95%) reported being very satisfied with the consultation, and 19 (100%) replied that it was necessary to consult with the radiologist regarding their results.
Conclusions: Our preliminary data suggests that the majority of patients undergoing fetal MRI prefer the radiologist be involved and prefer to hear the results expediently. The results of the survey highlight the importance of immediate consultation by a radiologist to our fetal MRI patients. .