Introduction: Magnetic Resonance Imaging is known to provoke anxiety among children, and they may need to be examined with the help of anaesthesia, which has risks. An instrument is needed to evaluate children's anxiety related to a procedure with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The study aims to adapt and evaluate a children's version of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Anxiety Questionnaire.

Methods: The ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging Child-Anxiety Questionnaire’ (MRIC-AQ) was drafted by an expert group consisting of a paediatric nurse, a teacher and two radiographers. This version was discussed in focus groups consisting of 10 children between the ages of four and 12 years. The children's suggestions were summarised and analysed using thematic analysis. The revised questionnaire was again discussed with focus groups of children before a paediatric nurse made final readjustments. For a basic psychometric analysis, children undergoing MRI-examinations without anaesthesia were asked to answer the MRIC-AQ.

Results: Responses to the questionnaire were gathered from 77 children (girls = 44, boys = 33) aged five to12 years (M = 9.3, SD = 1.7). Only two missing data points were found. The median of the total scale score was 25 (P₂₅–P₇₅ = 21–29), which is below the midpoint of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.84 (95 % CI = 0.78–0.89).

Conclusion: The MRIC-AQ has been developed with the help of children. It has satisfactory elementary psychometric properties and will be a useful tool for investigating different interventions for children.

Implications for practice: This new instrument (MRIC-AQ) is considered to be of great value when different kinds of interventions are evaluated, all to make MRI examinations as positive an experience as possible. This helps children to undergo examinations without fear.