A study of child movement during 99Tcm DMSA renal imaging procedures

Movement artefact during paediatric nuclear medicine imaging can, on occasion, reduce image quality and therefore render images non-diagnostic. To minimise such problems, immobilisation, distraction, and sedation techniques may be employed. The associated risks of sedation, its unpredictability and the requirement of ward admission are the point of much concern.This study aimed to establish the types of movement children display during nuclear medicine scans, focusing particularly on 99Tcm Static DMSA renal imaging – where the majority of scan requests are for paediatrics. A triangulated research method was used, comprising a literature review; observation of children during DMSA image acquisition (age range 0–10 years); and a focus group discussion with dedicated paediatric nuclear medicine professionals. Seven archetypal paediatric patient movements were identified and are described within this paper. The awareness of these findings should allow the health care worker to predict, with more confidence, how children of varying ages may move during an imaging procedure. This should allow immobilisation and distraction techniques to be used more appropriately in the clinical setting.