Abstract: [Objective] To investigate the value of clinical nursing pathway based on the King standard theory in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination of patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture (OTLF). [Methods] A total of 201 OTLF patients who received MRI examination from March 2021 to January 2023 were divided into King group (n=101) and routine group (n=100) by random number table method, and were respectively provided with clinical nursing pathway and routine clinical nursing pathway based on King standard theory. The indexes of psychological pressure and perceived control were compared. [Results] After intervention, the King group was marked significantly lower CPSS score and negative coping score than the routine group (P<0.05), while the former got significantly greater CAS-R score, active coping score and MRI compliance score than the latter (P<0.05). In addition, the King group had significantly lower overall incidence of nursing adverse events than the routine group (0% vs 5.0%, P<0.05), whereas the former got significantly higher nursing satisfaction score than the latter [(87.9±9.6) vs (71.4±5.7), P<0.05]. [Conclusion] The clinical nursing pathway based on King standard theory can effectively reduce the psychological pressure of OTLF patients during MRI examination, improve their perceptual control extent and positive coping style, which is conducive to improving patients' examination compliance and nursing satisfaction, and declining nursing adverse events.