Multisensory Interventions Reduce MRI Anxiety in Cancer Patients

MRI-related anxiety is prevalent among cancer patients and frequently undermines imaging quality by inducing motion artifacts or causing premature examination termination. Safe, non-pharmacological supportive interventions have the potential to alleviate procedural anxiety, yet the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anxiolytic effect of a combined multisensory intervention integrating music therapy and aromatherapy during MRI procedures, and to further explore its potential neurophysiological mechanisms via autonomic nervous system monitoring and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). This study adopted a prospective, single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial design and was conducted at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, between April 2025 and April 2026. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to four groups in equal proportions to receive routine care, music therapy alone, aromatherapy alone, or combined music and aromatherapy interventions. All study interventions were delivered consistently throughout the pre-MRI waiting period and the formal MRI scanning procedure, while participants in the control group received only standard clinical care without additional supportive intervention.