• Jonathan Windram, Lars Grosse-Wortmann, Masoud Shariat, Mary-Louise Greer, Mark W Crawford, and Shi-Joon Yoo.
• Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Canada M5G 1X8.
• Pediatr Radiol. 2012 Feb 1; 42 (2): 183-7.

BackgroundMRI in small children generally necessitates the use of general anesthesia.ObjectiveWe describe our initial results with a new technique that we name the feed-and-sleep method, whereby an infant can undergo a cardiac MRI without the need for general anesthesia or sedation.Materials And MethodsThe infant is fasted for 4 h prior to the scan and is then fed by his mother prior to the scan. He is then swaddled with 1 to 2 infant sheets before being placed in a vacuum-bag immobilizer. As air is removed from the bag, the immobilizer becomes a rigid cradle that fits the infant's body. We prioritize the sequences according to the purpose of the study and in the order of clinical importance.ResultsBetween January 2010 and January 2011 a total of 20 infants with the median age 14.5 days (minimum 2 days, maximum 155 days) underwent CMR studies via this method. All were performed successfully with no distress to the infant. The median scan time was 46.5 min (minimum 20, maximum 66). All had complex congenital heart defects and all planned sequences were acquired with sufficient quality to allow accurate diagnosis and to plan appropriate surgery.ConclusionUsing this technique, infants younger than 6 months can complete a cardiovascular MRI without the need for sedation or general anesthesia. We advocate the incorporation of this safe and reliable technique into routine clinical practice.

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