Pilot Testing and Preliminary Evaluation of the Nine-Item MRI Subject-Experience Questionnaire Among 40 Adult MRI Patients

Abstract

Background: MRI examinations can be associated with anxiety, acoustic annoyance, sensory responses and discomfort related to remaining still. A brief questionnaire may help document these different experiences, but its measurement properties should not be assumed before formal evaluation.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary item-level response distribution of the nine-item MRI Subject-Experience Questionnaire in a pilot sample of 40 adult patients undergoing MRI, and to identify measurement issues relevant to subsequent validation.

Methods: A cross-sectional methodological pilot study was conducted among 40 adult patients undergoing MRI. Demographic and examination characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics, and responses to each questionnaire item were reported as frequencies and percentages. An exploratory Cronbach’s alpha was calculated after coding Disagree=1, Neutral=2 and Agree=3; the fourth option, Strongly Agree, was not selected by any participant. The alpha estimate was treated as diagnostic only because the items represent heterogeneous experiences and no validated total-score model or scoring key was available.

Results: The 40 participants had a mean age of 33.80 years (SD 10.58; median 31; range 18–50); 23 (57.5%) were male and 17 (42.5%) female. Contrast examinations accounted for 22 participants (55.0%) and non-contrast/plain examinations for 18 (45.0%). All 40 participants had responses to all nine items. Agreement was highest for anxiety inside the scanner (Q1; 47.5%) and was also observed for duration/immobility discomfort (Q6; 40.0%) and familiarity with a previous MRI (Q7; 40.0%). Agreement was lowest for dizziness/sleepiness-like sensation (Q3; 15.0%). No Strongly Agree responses were recorded. The exploratory nine-item alpha was −0.269.

Conclusion: The pilot findings support a descriptive review of item response patterns and response completeness, but they do not establish questionnaire validity or reliability. The negative exploratory alpha, heterogeneous item content and different conceptual direction of Q7 require cautious interpretation and further content and measurement evaluation.