British Psychological Society Student Ambassador Jack Wood speaks with Senior Radiographer Beth Norris about the psychological challenges of MRI scanning, and how patient anxiety is understood and managed in clinical practice.
05 May 2026
MRI is often discussed as a technical and diagnostic procedure, but for many patients it is also a deeply psychological experience. Feelings of confinement, vulnerability, sensory overload, and loss of control can all shape whether a scan is merely tolerated; whether it is even completed; and if it might then be remembered as distressing.
Working within MRI services myself, I have become increasingly interested in the extent to which radiographers are not only managing equipment and image quality, but also responding to fear, trauma, and anxiety in real time.
To explore this further, I spoke with Beth Norris, Senior Radiographer at InHealth's Birmingham Upright MRI Centre, about what patient anxiety looks like in practice, how she responds to it, and what psychology might learn from radiographic care.
Can you briefly describe your role and experience as a radiographer, particularly within MRI?
I have worked as an MRI radiographer for over 13 years, primarily on traditional tunnel scanners across both the public and private sector, and more recently for the past three years on open/upright scanners. My role is entirely clinical and patient-focused, alongside departmental responsibilities such as audits, quality assurance of equipment, and health and safety assessments.
How often do you encounter patients who appear anxious or distressed during MRI scans?
Around 90 per cent of patients on our open/upright scanner lists present with anxiety or claustrophobia, as this service specifically accommodates those who struggle with conventional scanners. Each patient presents differently, and these issues are often hidden, so communication needs to be carefully tailored. The remaining patients are typically those with mobility issues who cannot tolerate lying flat.
MRI anxiety is not an occasional issue, then… it's central to patient care. In psychology, anxiety is often discussed in terms of individual vulnerability, but what your answer suggests is that the clinical environment itself can become psychologically loaded very quickly.
What are the most common reactions or behaviours you see?
Many patients experience a build-up of apprehension before the scan, which can activate the sympathetic nervous system. This often presents as increased heart rate, agitation, sweating, and a strong urge to escape. Some patients are able to manage these symptoms themselves through meditative techniques or self-soothing, but others find the experience overwhelming.
That language of a need to 'escape' feels especially important. It closely mirrors psychological understandings of panic, where the body shifts into threat mode and the person becomes focused on immediate exit or safety. It also raises an interesting point: MRI anxiety is not just about dislike or discomfort, but sometimes a full physiological alarm response.
How does claustrophobia or panic typically present in the MRI environment?
Claustrophobia and panic can present in many different ways, and the triggers can be very unique to each patient. I had one patient who had been in a car accident with her fiancé several years earlier. He died in the accident, and both were trapped in the car together. During the scan, particular sequences triggered trauma because the sounds reminded her of the emergency metal cutters. We had to tailor the scan to get a diagnostic report without overly activating that flight or panic response. Another patient needed an extra 30 minutes to practise removing the front of the head coil and sitting up if she needed to. She was a domestic abuse survivor and later disclosed that anything over her face was extremely traumatising. Patients need to know they are in control throughout the scan.
What you describe moves the discussion beyond "claustrophobia" in the narrow sense. These are not always simple fears of enclosed spaces; sometimes they are trauma-linked responses shaped by memory, sensory cues, and past violations of safety.
That raises a wider question about whether MRI services should think more explicitly in trauma-informed terms. Do you feel that much of the work is about helping patients recover a sense of safety and control?
Yes, definitely. The open upright scanners allow me to tell patients that if they want to leave quickly, they can just walk off the bed and out the door. I also remind them that I am watching all the time through the control room window, so if they wave, I can be in the room within seconds. That sense of control is very important.
Research and practice across anxiety settings often suggest that when people feel trapped, uncertain, or unable to stop an experience, distress intensifies. What you are doing clinically is not only reassurance – it is a way of restoring agency.
What strategies do you use to reduce anxiety before or during a scan?
While going through a patient's safety questions, I ask them how they manage going into a lift. It is a useful question because it starts a conversation about coping with smaller spaces and helps me assess their needs. A lot of patients have severe trauma or PTSD, and if they volunteer that information at any point I tailor my interactions accordingly. Listening is very important. My counselling skills training has really helped me to work with patients better. I also explain that none of the doors are ever locked, and some patients ask to test that themselves. For neurodivergent and dementia patients, we also have fidget balls and textured toys to help them channel their focus.
So you are assessing coping, listening for trauma, tailoring your interaction, testing out practical reassurance, and adapting to neurodivergent needs. There is a tendency to imagine 'psychological care' as something separate from technical healthcare, but your description suggests that in MRI, the two are often intertwined.
How important is communication in shaping the patient's experience?
Communication is absolutely the most important factor. Giving patients the feeling that they are in control can mitigate stress, anxiety, and panic, and that matters because we need the best quality diagnostic images. Talking patients through every step of what to expect, what they will or will not physically and visually experience, and why equipment is used, helps reduce a lot of anxieties.
Communication during the scan is also crucial – for example, updating patients on how long they have left. Many patients tell us that poor communication elsewhere was a major reason they could not manage tunnel scanners.
This feels like one of the clearest bridges between psychology and practice. In psychological terms, communication reduces uncertainty, increases predictability, and can lower threat. In MRI terms, it also improves the likelihood of completing the scan. It seems like such a basic intervention, but your experience suggests it is often the decisive one.
Have you ever had to stop or pause a scan due to patient distress?
Yes, many times over my career, usually when a patient presses the buzzer due to distress or severe pain. But they rarely press the buzzer because anxiety has worsened during the scan when good communication and preparation have already been done. There are exceptional cases where much more time is needed, but generally the groundwork makes a big difference.
That is really interesting, because it suggests anxiety in MRI may be modifiable in highly practical ways. It also points to an important research question: which elements of preparation are most effective, for whom, and in which types of MRI setting?
From your experience, what do you think healthcare professionals or psychologists often misunderstand about patient anxiety in MRI environments?
One misunderstanding is how anxiety presents. Patients can seem stern or even aggressive before a scan, but often that is internalised stress. As soon as the scan is completed, many patients soften up.
That point feels especially valuable. In psychology and healthcare more broadly, distress is not always presented as visible fear. Sometimes it appears as irritability, guardedness, or emotional defensiveness. Misreading that can lead professionals to see a difficult patient, rather than an anxious one.
Before we finish, what would you want psychologists to think more about when it comes to MRI anxiety?
I think there is more scope for understanding just how individual these responses are, and how much communication, trust, and control matter in whether someone gets through the scan.
That feels like a fitting point to end on… thank you Beth!
What this conversation makes clear is that MRI anxiety is not peripheral to scanning practice; it is often central to it. Beth's reflections also suggest that radiographers may already be doing a form of psychologically informed work, even if it is not always described in those terms. For psychologists, that opens up useful questions: how can anxiety theory better inform imaging practice, how can trauma-informed approaches be embedded more consistently, and what practical interventions might reduce scan avoidance or distress without overcomplicating care?
If MRI is a meeting point between technology and vulnerability, then perhaps it is also a meeting point between radiography and psychology – one that deserves more attention from both.
– Jack Wood is a BSc (Hons) Psychology student at Birmingham Newman University and a Research Assistant with a growing interest in clinical and health psychology. He is a BPS Student Ambassador Liaison Link and Lead Student Ambassador for the West Midlands, as well as Co-Editor of the BPS West Midlands Branch Newsletter.
Alongside his academic work, Jack works as a Healthcare Assistant within MRI services, where he has developed a particular interest in patient anxiety and psychological experiences in medical settings. His work focuses on bridging clinical practice and psychological theory, with current projects exploring anxiety in MRI environments and wider aspects of patient wellbeing.
– Beth Norris is a Senior Radiographer at InHealth, based at The Birmingham Upright MRI Centre. With over 13 years of experience in MRI across both the public and private sectors, she specialises in supporting patients with anxiety, claustrophobia, and complex needs within diagnostic imaging environments.
Beth has extensive experience working with both traditional scanners and open/upright MRI systems, with a strong focus on patient-centred care and communication. She has also undertaken training in counselling skills, which informs her approach to managing patient distress and enhancing the overall scanning experience.
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