MRI today - will they tell me anything today?
Discussion
Off to have an MRI to look at my knee at 1730 today, and then I already have follow up booked with the consultant I saw yesterday next Weds.
Will they be able to tell me anything straight after the test today, or am I going to be waiting 6 days to hear the bad news? Never had one before.
Will they be able to tell me anything straight after the test today, or am I going to be waiting 6 days to hear the bad news? Never had one before.
IJWS15 said:
Probably not, they will write up a report for the consultant who will discuss the findings with you.
Urgh, that's what I feared. Is that because of some sort of policy, or is it because the people operating the machine don't actually know what they're looking at with the results? Likely I've done my ACL, but would be nice if they could at least say yes or no to that today, but guess they can't?
It's normal that the people operating the tests don't give you the results.
The images taken are turned into a report for the consultant. And then then consultant interprets the report and images and explains to you the diagnosis and discusses what comes next.
It would be inappropriate for the people whose expertise is in running the tests to then give you a diagnosis without reference back to the consultant.
It's annoying, but not how the system works.
The images taken are turned into a report for the consultant. And then then consultant interprets the report and images and explains to you the diagnosis and discusses what comes next.
It would be inappropriate for the people whose expertise is in running the tests to then give you a diagnosis without reference back to the consultant.
It's annoying, but not how the system works.
When I was first getting diagnosed with my back pain I was sent for an MRI.
I was asked to change clothes and then carry my belongings in a box into the room and put them up on a shelf.
Was asked to climb up onto the table/bed.
When the scan was complete I was about to climb off the bed when the operator/radiologist stopped me and went to find some steps, then very carefully helped down. They then insisted on carrying the box back to the changing room for me.
They wouldn’t tell me verbally if the scan revealed the issue but their actions spoke loud and clear!
I was asked to change clothes and then carry my belongings in a box into the room and put them up on a shelf.
Was asked to climb up onto the table/bed.
When the scan was complete I was about to climb off the bed when the operator/radiologist stopped me and went to find some steps, then very carefully helped down. They then insisted on carrying the box back to the changing room for me.
They wouldn’t tell me verbally if the scan revealed the issue but their actions spoke loud and clear!
UTH said:
Urgh, that's what I feared. Is that because of some sort of policy, or is it because the people operating the machine don't actually know what they're looking at with the results?
Most MRI radiographers aren’t trained to formally interpret scans. We can see what’s going on especially with MSK stuff but the scanning console offers suboptimal views and ultimately we have no formal training for it. If we say one thing and then we are wrong then it opens up a can of worms. Also the next question after “what does it look like?” Is “so what’s the next step?” Which we definitely can’t answer. Some MRI radiographers are trained to report scans but this is done on a proper reporting workstation in a dark room, not at the scanning console.
It’s worth noting especially for knees that your consultant probably has a really good idea of what’s going on already and needs the images for confirmation.
You're lucky your consultant appointment is so close. I've known people forced to wait weeks for crucial news when their appointment was delayed. I've personally had an MRI done on "the wrong part of my head" and had to wait a further four weeks for another scan to reveal what turned out to be a brain tumour. Anyway the NHS sorted it out in the end thankfully!
Sorry, no you won't hear anything until you see your consultant.
Sorry, no you won't hear anything until you see your consultant.
Brainpox said:
UTH said:
Urgh, that's what I feared. Is that because of some sort of policy, or is it because the people operating the machine don't actually know what they're looking at with the results?
Most MRI radiographers aren’t trained to formally interpret scans. We can see what’s going on especially with MSK stuff but the scanning console offers suboptimal views and ultimately we have no formal training for it. If we say one thing and then we are wrong then it opens up a can of worms. Also the next question after “what does it look like?” Is “so what’s the next step?” Which we definitely can’t answer. Some MRI radiographers are trained to report scans but this is done on a proper reporting workstation in a dark room, not at the scanning console.
It’s worth noting especially for knees that your consultant probably has a really good idea of what’s going on already and needs the images for confirmation.
UTH said:
Yeah that makes sense. I did think as I was putting my shoes on if they then wasted 10 mins giving me an “opinion” on what they’ve seen, it would massively slow down the process and job they’re there to do.
Exactly right. A 20 minute scan gets a 20 minute slot and a lot of patients can’t walk in and lie down immediately. Then you get the claustrophobic patients that need time to syke themselves up. NHS MRI is booked to run late and hope some people don’t turn up. Nothing worse than someone asking for results (or fishing for hints) at the end when you’re already going to be late for dinner 
Edited by Brainpox on Thursday 13th April 19:17
Edited by Brainpox on Thursday 13th April 19:18
You wouldnt want a technicians opinion. You’d want the opinion of a medical specialist, and they don’t run the machines.
My wife had to wait 4 weeks for her consultant to discus her liver scan (suspected cancerous tumours).
She had tumours, the weren’t cancerous. Wouldn’t want the wrong news from someone that ‘had seen many scans’ but wasn’t actually a specialist.
My wife had to wait 4 weeks for her consultant to discus her liver scan (suspected cancerous tumours).
She had tumours, the weren’t cancerous. Wouldn’t want the wrong news from someone that ‘had seen many scans’ but wasn’t actually a specialist.
TTmonkey said:
You wouldnt want a technicians opinion. You’d want the opinion of a medical specialist, and they don’t run the machines.
My wife had to wait 4 weeks for her consultant to discus her liver scan (suspected cancerous tumours).
She had tumours, the weren’t cancerous. Wouldn’t want the wrong news from someone that ‘had seen many scans’ but wasn’t actually a specialist.
Three months is the longest I've waited for the Consultant's letter of the MRI outcome. Sub-optimal as I believe 4-weeks is about the norm. As I have an annual MRI the 12-month repeater appointment only gets requested after the Consultant raises it which then pushes the next scan in this case to 15-months. I mentioned this to my GP and they stated that at the time of the scan it is reviewed and anything 'serious' would be flagged up. Whether that's right or not?My wife had to wait 4 weeks for her consultant to discus her liver scan (suspected cancerous tumours).
She had tumours, the weren’t cancerous. Wouldn’t want the wrong news from someone that ‘had seen many scans’ but wasn’t actually a specialist.
The most recent results were quicker coming to me via the MyChart App
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