Purpose or Case Report: There is little data describing imaging sedation and anesthesia practice patterns in pediatric radiology. The purpose of this study was to understand current imaging sedation and anesthesia practice patterns based on a survey of member institutions of the Society of Chairs of Radiology at Children’s Hospitals (SCORCH) in conjunction with the American College of Radiology’s Pediatric Imaging Sedation and Anesthesia Committee.
Methods & Materials: A survey composed of 27 questions related to imaging sedation and anesthesia in pediatric radiology departments was distributed to SCORCH member institutions in January 2019 via SurveyMonkey (San Mateo, CA). A single reminder email was sent. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed.
Results: 21/84 (25%) SCORCH institutions completed the survey. 57% identified as academic/university-affiliated, 13% were a division/section in an adult radiology department, and 9% were private practice. Imaging sedation (excluding general anesthesia) is commonly performed by anesthesiologists (76%) and intensive care unit physicians (intensivists, 48%); only 14% allow radiologists to supervise imaging sedation. 96% of departments use child life specialists for patient preparation, while a similar percentage (91%) also use nurses and technologists for this purpose. 76% of departments have preparatory resources available for patients prior to their visit on a department website, 30% have simulation videos, and 20% have audio clips. Nearly half (48%) of the departments have a mock scanner to aid in patient preparation. Imaging sedation and anesthesia is most often scheduled by a scheduler at the request of the ordering clinician (65%), while 57% of departments allow schedulers to place patients into imaging sedation and anesthesia slots based on age or other guidelines; sedation is scheduled by nursing and imaging technologists in 35% and 22% of departments, respectively. 70% of departments contact the ordering clinician or patient’s family to determine the level of sedation required, with this duty commonly performed by a nurse. 13% of departments expect radiologists to be able to discuss the risks of sedation and anesthesia with families, and 29% of departments provide information regarding such risks on their website.
Conclusions: Imaging sedation and anesthesia practice patterns vary considerably between pediatric radiology departments and understanding current approaches can help with standardization and practice improvement.