Scanxiety

Abstract

Scanxiety is a term that has penetrated the vernacular medical vocabulary as a descriptor of the particular distress reported by patients who are scheduled for imaging to assess disease status. Patients fear failure of current treatments, return of disease or progression, the need for new treatments, and the prospect of demise. Stress related to imaging is frequent, may be persistent, and is linked to decreased quality of life. (PsycINFO Database Record