Music calms patients undergoing imaging procedures

Music can be calming for patients undergoing medical imaging, an article published February 7 in Radiography suggests. A team led by Lina Viera, PhD, from the Lisbon Polytechnic Institute in Portugal found that musical interventions, whether they be classical songs or sounds of nature, can reduce anxiety and heart rate outcomes in patients. This includes imaging procedures such as MRI, mammography, and PET among others. “Musical intervention arises as a painless, reliable, low-cost, and side-effect-free strategy, presenting imaging departments with a practical means to enhance patient comfort and mitigate anxiety and stress during medical procedures,” the Viera team wrote. While medical imaging has proven its value in health screening, such procedures can be anxiety-inducing and uncomfortable for patients. This includes patients experiencing claustrophobia in MRI machines, compression pain from mammography, or concerns about radiation exposure. Previous research has explored ways to comfort patients during imaging procedures, one being musical intervention. Here, technologists can create music playlists to help ease patients’ minds before and during procedures. In some cases, the patients themselves can select songs to be played. Viera and colleagues explored the impact of such interventions on psychophysiological outcomes during imaging procedures. This includes focusing on the sound repertoire and technical characteristics employed in musical interventions. The ...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Practice Management Source Type: news