Anxiety and Internet Research Before Percutaneous Ultrasound-guided Diagnostic Procedures

Abstract Invasive procedures guided by ultrasound (US) are part of the routine medical diagnostic investigation. The lack of knowledge related to technical aspects about them can lead the patient to seek complementary information on the internet, which can trigger anxiety. However, the intersection between the areas of Radiology and Psychology is poorly studied. Here we show the profile of an anxious patient before an US-guided intervention. One hundred thirty-three patients were evaluated. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was applied for psychometry. Higher anxiety scores were significantly observed in female patient, in those who believe they had received inadequate information from the referring physician, and in those who assessed the online information to be unreliable or difficult to access. Patients who defined themselves as proactive in online searching reported lower anxiety. Our results show that the profile of an anxious patient before an US-guided intervention can be established. The recognition of this profile can guide measures to reduce anxiety in patients who will undergo an US-guided invasive procedure.