One audience member, citing the high cost of MRIs, asked if there are less expensive ways to measure the magnitude of treatment response. Dr. Teng replied that imaging is best. She added, however, that the cost of an MRI is reduced by about $800 when sedation isn’t required. And a Stanford study has shown that the use of a child-friendly teaching kit enables most children to undergo an MRI without sedation.
"It’s like a video game they take home and play for a month. When they come back for their MRI more than 80% of kids don’t need sedation anymore. It really cuts down the cost," she said.
Dr. Teng credited University of California, Irvine, medical student Viraat Patel as deserving primary authorship status for this study, conducted under her supervision. The study was supported by the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Dr. Teng had no financial conflicts.