A comparison of propofol and chloral hydrate for sedation of young children during magnetic resonance imaging scans*

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two methods of providing sedation for young children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on efficiency of scanner utilization. Thirty-nine patients were randomized to receive either propofol or chloral hydrate. Age and gender distributions were not significantly different between the groups. Induction time was significantly less for propofol than for chloral hydrate (6 ± 3 min vs 41 ± 9 min; P < 0.0001); and recovery time for propofol was significantly shorter than for chloral hydrate (18 ± 7 min vs 47 ± 28 min; P < 0.0001). Procedure times were not significantly different. Three of 19 patients who received chloral hydrate moved and their scans were interrupted; two of these received propofol. None of the patients in the propofol group moved. Utilization efficiency of the MRI scanner, defined as 100 ± (Procedure Time)/(Induction Time + Procedure Time), was 87 ± 6% for propofol and 45 ± 13% for chloral hydrate. These data demonstrate that propofol sedation allows the MRI scanner to be utilized more efficiently than chloral hydrate sedation.