Propofol-Only Versus Dexmedetomidine-Propofol in Children Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Summary

The most common imaging procedure requiring sedation/anesthesia for the pediatric population is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the optimal anesthetic/sedation plan has not been determined for these procedures. Historically, common medications have included the use of pentobarbital and propofol, but in 2015, publication in the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the accumulating evidence for the possible neurotoxic effects of these types of anesthetics in animal models and a collection of epidemiologic studies in humans. Although these initial possibilities have since been proven as less of a concern, in the interim, data has shown that alternative sedative agents, such as dexmedetomidine, may not have the same neurotoxic effect and could possibly even provide neuroprotection. Dexmedetomidine also possesses other beneficial traits such as reducing risks of pulmonary atelectasis or upper airway collapse, typically found with the administration of propofol. A concern raised by previous studies has been the possibility that the addition of dexmedetomidine could increase recovery times, leading to disruptions in workflow. Although it has been shown that large doses of dexmedetomidine exposure may lead to longer PACU stays, it is uncertain whether a small dose of dexmedetomidine would have such a significant impact. Based on the investigators' pilot trial6, the investigators found that a bolus of 1 mcg/kg dose of dexmedetomidine with a bolus of titrated propofol of 2-3 mg/kg and an infusion of propofol of 100 mcg/kg/min provided adequate sedation for successful scans, reduced propofol (infusion) exposure by 60%, and did not significantly increase recovery times. Finally, there is a paucity in literature for studies examining a range of doses subsequently; often, a control group is compared to a single, self-selected dose of choice. Here, the investigators hope to provide a range of doses to minimize selection bias in our study design and determine the dose that would provide the optimal sedation for these scans and minimize excess anesthetic exposure.

Timeline

Start

2026-06

Primary completion

2027-12

Completion

2028-03

Publications

• Background Nagoshi M, Reddy S, Bell M, Cresencia A, Margolis R, Wetzel R, Ross P. Low-dose dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to propofol infusion for children in MRI: A double-cohort study. Paediatr Anaesth. 2018 Jul;28(7):639-646. doi: 10.1111/pan.13400. Epub 2018 Jun 7.
• Background Ramaprasannakumar SK, Bhadrinarayan V, Venkataramaiah S. The Effectiveness of Three Regimens of Sedation for Children Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Clinical Study. Anesth Essays Res. 2022 Jul-Sep;16(3):345-352. doi: 10.4103/aer.aer_45_22. Epub 2022 Dec 9.
• Background Boriosi JP, Eickhoff JC, Klein KB, Hollman GA. A retrospective comparison of propofol alone to propofol in combination with dexmedetomidine for pediatric 3T MRI sedation. Paediatr Anaesth. 2017 Jan;27(1):52-59. doi: 10.1111/pan.13041. Epub 2016 Oct 25.
• Background Vinson AE, Peyton J, Kordun A, Staffa SJ, Cravero J. Trends in Pediatric MRI sedation/anesthesia at a tertiary medical center over time. Paediatr Anaesth. 2021 Sep;31(9):953-961. doi: 10.1111/pan.14225. Epub 2021 Jun 22.
• Background Kim SY, Booth JM, Staffa SJ, Kordun A, Yu J, Cravero JP. A dose-ranging pilot trial of dexmedetomidine-propofol in children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging. J Anesth. 2025 Dec;39(6):989-994. doi: 10.1007/s00540-025-03511-z. Epub 2025 May 11.
• Background Rappaport BA, Suresh S, Hertz S, Evers AS, Orser BA. Anesthetic neurotoxicity--clinical implications of animal models. N Engl J Med. 2015 Feb 26;372(9):796-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp1414786.
• Background Mallory MD, Travers C, Cravero JP, Kamat PP, Tsze D, Hertzog JH. Pediatric Sedation/Anesthesia for MRI: Results From the Pediatric Sedation Research Consortium. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2023 Apr;57(4):1106-1113. doi: 10.1002/jmri.28392. Epub 2022 Aug 12.

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