Comparison of Outcomes During MRI Sedation With Midazolam-dexmedetomidine Versus Ketamine-dexmedetomidine

The will be a randomized, double-blind, prospective study. All patients referred to UCSS for brain MRI and for whom dexmedetomidine would otherwise be the sedation regimen of choice will be eligible for enrollment. The investigators propose to limit the study to patients undergoing only brain MRI as these studies are of a predictable length (25-30 minutes); therefore the sedation regimen can be more easily standardized. Parents of eligible patients would be approached prior to or during the pre-sedation assessment and told about the study and, if they agree to enroll, informed consent would be obtained. Assent will be obtained from children 7 years of age and greater, if they are otherwise developmentally capable of giving assent. The goal is to enroll 50 subjects (25 per treatment group) which would be sufficient to detect a 25% or greater difference in the mean maximal heart rate or blood pressure decrease from baseline between the 2 groups.

Following consent, subjects would be randomized to be sedated with either midazolam-dexmedetomidine or ketamine-dexmedetomidine and, upon achieving an appropriate depth of sedation, undergo their MRI. Monitoring during the MRI and subsequent recovery would occur in compliance with the current Norton Children's Hospital Sedation policy. Recovery-related behavior would be assessed using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale.