{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]],"date-time":"2026-05-25T16:05:12Z","timestamp":1779725112866,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]],"date-time":"2026-05-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779667200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Tomography"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Purpose: This study aimed to assess MRI-related claustrophobia severity and patient-reported experiences among Saudi patients to examine their associations with selected demographic variables. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire administered to 200 Saudi patients who had previously undergone MRI examinations. The questionnaire comprised five sections covering demographic data, phobia severity and patient-reported experiences before, during and after MRI examinations. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS statistical package (IBM SPSS Statistics version 26, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), applying chi-square tests to examine associations between demographic variables and questionnaire responses. Results: A significant majority of participants, 76.5%, reported a positive MRI experience, whereas only 6.5% reported a negative experience. Shortness of breath during the MRI examination was the most frequently reported source of discomfort (75%). Significant associations were identified between demographic characteristics and phobia severity. Age and gender were significantly correlated with sudden fear responses, while educational level was strongly associated with receiving adequate pre-scan information and overall examination experience. Conclusions: Despite the high percentage of positive experiences, a notable proportion of participants reported anxiety-related distress during MRI examinations. The observed associations between demographic variables and claustrophobia-related responses suggest the potential value of patient-centred approaches, particularly improved pre-scan education, to improve the MRI-related patient experience and reduce anxiety-related distress.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tomography12060077","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]],"date-time":"2026-05-25T15:05:08Z","timestamp":1779721508000},"page":"77","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["MRI-Related Claustrophobia: Patient-Reported Experience and Associated Factors in a Makkah Region Cohort"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2241-0011","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shrooq T.","family":"Aldahery","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied Radiologic Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lubna A.","family":"Bushara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied Radiologic Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rana A.","family":"Alasami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied Radiologic Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mona H.","family":"Alqurashi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied Radiologic Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rahaf O.","family":"Alqurayqiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Applied Radiologic Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sahar E.","family":"Behilak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6471-5772","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Faten S.","family":"Kandil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0950-3945","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khalid M.","family":"Alshamrani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah P.O. Box 22384, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah P.O. Box 22384, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah P.O. Box 22384, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Walaa M.","family":"Alsharif","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, P.O. Box 30002, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7320-2795","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Awadia","family":"Gareeballah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, P.O. Box 30002, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8196-3233","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fahad H.","family":"Alhazmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, P.O. Box 30002, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohammed S.","family":"Almatrafi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Centre, Taibah University, P.O. Box 30002, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1162\/pres_a_00385","article-title":"Design and Evaluation of Virtual Reality Environments for Claustrophobia","volume":"32","year":"2023","journal-title":"Presence Virtual Augment. Real."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Kroenke, K.N.T. (2023). Claustrophobia. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22281","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-49691-0","article-title":"Key factors behind various specific phobia subtypes","volume":"13","author":"Zsido","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. 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