CONTEXT: Nonpharmacological strategies are increasingly used in pediatric procedures, but in pediatric MRI, sedation and general anesthesia are still commonly required.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions in reducing use of sedation and general anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing MRI, and to investigate effects on scan time, image quality, and anxiety.

DATA SOURCES: We searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and CENTRAL from inception through October 10, 2022.

STUDY SELECTION: We included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs comparing the effect of a nonpharmacological intervention with standard care on use of sedation or general anesthesia, scan time, image quality, or child and parental anxiety among infants (<2 years), children, and adolescents (2-18 years) undergoing MRI.

DATA EXTRACTION: Standardized instruments were used to extract data and assess study quality.

RESULTS: Forty-six studies were eligible for the systematic review. Limited to studies on children and adolescents, the meta-analysis included 20 studies with 33 873 patients. Intervention versus comparator analysis showed that nonpharmacological interventions were associated with reduced need for sedation and general anesthesia in the randomized control trials (risk ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.95; l2 = 35%) and nonrandomized studies (risk ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.66; l2 = 91%). The effect was largest among children aged 3 to 10 years when compared with older children and adolescents aged 11 to 18 years.

LIMITATIONS: There was substantial heterogeneity among nonrandomized studies.

CONCLUSIONS: Nonpharmacological interventions must be considered as standard procedure in infants, children, and adolescents undergoing MRI.