SURC 2025 Student Presentations
SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference Student Presentations

The Effect of Sleep Routines on Infant MRI Acquisitions

Authors: Katelyn Chen, Stefania Conte, Sama Nada

SUNY Campus: Binghamton University

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: UU 108

Presentation #: 80

Timeslot: Session D 3:00-4:00 PM

Abstract: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) acquisitions with infant participants are conducted during natural sleep. Ensuring that infants fall and stay asleep throughout the scan presents some challenges. Previous research has identified techniques such as the feed-and-swaddle method to help infants fall asleep and the use of ear protections to reduce acoustic noise level during scanning. However, the impact of infants’ sleep routines and scanning time on MRI success rates has not been systematically examined. This study investigates the effect of MRI visit variables (e.g., time of acquisition) and infants’ sleep habits in predicting imaging success rates. The sample consisted of 44, 6-12-month-old infants (M = 7.9 months SD = 2.2 months, 23 females, 10% Hispanic, 5% African American, and 17% multiracial) from Binghamton and surrounding areas. All participants attended 1-3 MRI visits and were divided into two groups: successful and unsuccessful scans. Parents completed a Qualtrics survey assessing their infants’ sleep routines prior to the MRI appointment. Analyzed variables included sleeping habits (e.g., sleep position, sleep consistency), environmental factors (e.g., breastfeeding, noise masking), and MRI visit time relative to the infant’s bedtime/naptime. Data analysis included statistical comparisons between groups to identify patterns associated with successful scans, and decision tree models to predict acquisition outcome. Findings from this study will provide evidence-based guidelines for optimizing MRI acquisition protocols with infant participants, improving both feasibility and data quality.