Pediatric Radiology Sedation and Anesthesia

As we look to the future of pediatric anesthesia, we see our practice growing into many areas outside of the operating room. Undoubtedly, one of those areas is the radiology department. Children commonly require sedation or anesthesia to successfully complete their imaging study, a significant organizational and manpower challenge to many anesthesia departments. We believe that the creation of an anesthesiology-based radiology sedation service, as described in this article, deserves consideration by anesthesiology and radiology departments. It is working for us. The application of MRI to the operating room also constitutes a significant organizational and technical challenge. Involvement by the anesthesia department in the planning and execution of the project helps ensure its success. A partnership with radiology affords wonderful opportunities to investigate the function of the pediatric brain and how anesthetic drugs and disease impact it. The growth of pediatric anesthesiology in radiology looks bright in the long run. Copyright © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.