Hearing MRI Noise Ahead of Time Helped Patients Feel Calmer
Original title: Retrospective Study on the Effect of Gradient Noise Exposure Desensitization Training prior to Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Anxiety Levels and Image Quality in Patients with Brain Tumors.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a look back at scans people already had, not a planned trial, so it is not proven yet.
The short version
Brain tumor patients who practiced with MRI machine noise before their scan felt less anxious, and their scans came out clearer.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at the records of 100 people with brain tumors who had a brain MRI. Half of them (50 people) got training that let them get used to the loud noise the MRI machine makes, plus normal nursing care. The other 50 got normal nursing care only.
What they found. Before the scan, both groups had about the same anxiety scores. After the scan, the group that practiced with the noise had lower anxiety scores than the other group. Their scans also looked better. Image quality was rated excellent for 42 of 50 people in the practice group, compared with 28 of 50 in the other group. Their scans also took less time, about 28.45 minutes compared with about 33.72 minutes.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If loud MRI noise makes you nervous, getting used to it beforehand may help. You may feel calmer, and the pictures may come out clear enough that the scan goes faster. It costs nothing to ask your care team if they offer something like this before your next MRI.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the training treats a brain tumor in any way. It is not a cure and it does not change what the scan shows about your tumor. This study looked back at records of people who were already scanned. It was not a planned trial with people placed into groups at random, so it cannot prove the training caused the results. Fewer people in the practice group had a bad reaction, 6.00% compared with 20.00%, but that difference could have happened by chance. This was also one study at one place, and not all imaging centers offer this.
Source: PubMed, June 30, 2026 · Read the original
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