Early MRI termination with major impact on the radiological interpretation: The experience of a large university hospital

•Early MRI termination, prior to obtaining a diagnosis, has become a rare event.•The majority of early MRI terminations are associated with claustrophobia.•Non-claustrophobia-related early MRI termination occurs mostly in elderly patients.•Inpatients are at higher risk of early MRI termination than outpatients. To report the incidence of early magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) terminations and analyse their risk factors in a large university hospital. All consecutive patients aged > 16 years who underwent an MRI over a 14-month period were included. The following parameters were collected: demographics, in- or outpatient, history of claustrophobia, anatomical region investigated, and early MRI termination along with its cause. The potential link between these parameters and early MRI termination was statistically analysed. Overall, 22,566MRIs were performed (10,792 [48%] men and 11,774[52%] women, mean age: 57 [range: 16–103] years). Early MRI termination was reported in 183 (0.8%) patients (99 men and 84 women, mean age: 63 years). Of these early terminations, 103 (56%) were due to claustrophobia and 80 (44%) to other causes. Early terminations were more common in inpatients than outpatients (1.2% vs. 0.6%, p 65 years old) than in younger ones. No other parameter was significantly associated with early termination. Early MRI termination is currently rare. The main risk factors for claustrophobia-related terminations comprised a prior history of claustrophobia, and examinations in inpatients. Non-claustrophobia-related early terminations were more common in both elderly patients and inpatients.