Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Cardiac Coherence Exercise on MRI Success and Image Quality in Claustrophobic Patients
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: cardiac coherence.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Claustrophobia, MRI. Basic parameters: from 7 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Claustrophobia, an intense fear of confined spaces, can significantly impair the success of MRI examinations by causing patient movement or early termination of the scan, leading to poor image quality. Cardiac coherence, a breathing technique aimed at synchronizing heart rate and reducing anxiety, has shown benefits in stress management. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether the use of a guided cardiac coherence exercise during MRI can improve exam success rates and image quality in self-reported claustrophobic patients compared to standard care (cartoons for children, music for adults). The primary outcome is the proportion of interpretable MRI scans with good-quality images, assessed blindly by a radiologist. Secondary outcomes include exam duration, use of the emergency call button, patient satisfaction, and perceived comfort. A total of 220 patients aged 7 years and older will be enrolled over 12 months at the Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild Hospital.
Interventions
- Behavioral cardiac coherence
The exercise consists of slow, rhythmic breathing guided by visual and auditory cues designed to induce a state of physiological calm.
Primary outcome measures
- Proportion of interpretable MRI exams with good image quality, rated blindly by a radiologist [Time frame: Day 1]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Patient aged 7 years or older
- Undergoing a 1.5T or 3T MRI scan as part of routine care
- Self-reported claustrophobia on the imaging department admission form
- Explicit consent to participate in the study, provided by the patient or a legal representative (for minors)
- Affiliated with or beneficiary of a social security system
Exclusion criteria
- Patient under legal protection or guardianship
- Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
- Inability to complete questionnaires and/or perform the cardiac coherence exercise as judged by the investigator
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07309328 · MLC_2025_6