Virtual Reality as an Anxiolytic and Analgesic in Interventional Radiology Procedures: An Evidence-Based Review and Practical Framework.

Moaz Alowami, Dhanyal Khan, Ashar Siddiqui, Oleg Mironov, Syed Umair Mahmood

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Cardiovascular and interventional radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Moaz AlowamiMaster of Clinical Science Program in Clinical Epidemiology and Research Management, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, 1465 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6G 2M1, Canada. drmoazalowami95@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-5961-2860

Dhanyal KhanMichael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, 90 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada.

Ashar SiddiquiTemerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.

Oleg MironovDepartment of Medical Imaging, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, St. Joseph's Healthcare Charlton Campus, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON, L8N 4A6, Canada.

Syed Umair MahmoodDepartment of Medical Imaging, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, St. Joseph's Healthcare Charlton Campus, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, ON, L8N 4A6, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo evaluate the clinical efficacy, mechanisms, and feasibility of immersive virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmacological anxiolytic and analgesic in interventional radiology (IR).

methodsA literature search for a narrative review was conducted on June 7, 2026, across MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Prospective pilot studies and randomized controlled trials that evaluated VR as an intraprocedural anxiolytic or analgesic modality during percutaneous or endovascular interventions were included.

resultsAnalysis of 9 clinical trials demonstrated substantial reductions in procedural distress. In a randomized controlled trial involving 120 patients undergoing peripheral arterial angioplasty, VR was associated with significant improvements in patient-reported intraprocedural pain (visual analog scale: 6.23 ± 0.91 vs. 8.03 ± 0.94; p < 0.001) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-6-Item: 47.60 ± 7.42 vs. 67.97 ± 9.95; p < 0.001). Furthermore, combining VR with guided breathing during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage reduces post-procedural opioid consumption (20.25 vs. 56.61 morphine milligram equivalents, p = 0.044).

conclusionsVR is an effective, sedation-sparing digital tool for short, simple IR procedures. Application in complex, long endovascular cases remains investigational.

Indexed as

Anxiety controlDigital therapeuticsInterventionalPainProceduralRadiologySedation sparingVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID42618657

DOI10.3390/app131810365

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.