Annoyed at latest mri

[Melissa072]

My latest mri was done at a public hospital and now they tell me that the cd with my pics on are the property of the hospital, and that the neuro only gets my report, whenever they get around to doing that......

So I won't be able to keep  any pics of this mri with my previous pics.

Also I found out yesterday that when they do a 3T mri here, even if they see something they don't use contrast, as they consider it a waste of time......

I spoke to a radiologist and he said that the pics on the 3T are so good there is no need to use contrast even if they do see lesions.

And he told me they particulary don't use it in the process of looking for ms.....

So there goes my theory of having a clear mri, because they never used it on me, I presumed my mri must be clear.

Hopefully I will get answers today or tomorrow, am still waiting for the dr to look at the pics.....

[Udkas]

Hey as you know I live in Aussie too and I had my last MRI done on a brand new T3 Machine and guess what they did a series with contrast and a series without contrast!  And I was told that it was to see what lesions would enhance and even more helpful to light up real small lesions that might not normally be seen... (something like that), my last MRI was in January this year...
That's Bull ***t, they still use contrast here!!! Public or private, but the Dr needs to order it.

[Lulu54]

I would love to ask those radiologists how they determine if a lesion is active or relatively new compared to the older ones ...  

You can borrow the CD?  Well that is crazy too - what would happen if you lose their one and only copy?  Oh well, borrow it and burn a copy for yourself.

-L

[Melissa072]

Thanks

I just got off the phone to them.
They faxed my report to my G.P. and neuro, and I rung my G.P. as my neuro is currently overseas, and she said all normal.

Which is great but still doesn't explain all my symptons.

The cd with all my pics on, apparantly I can borrow it, but have to take it back.

And as for the contrast, I rung the big hospital in our state here and spoke to a radiologist about the use of contrast and he told me the same, that with ms they don't use contrast either.

He told me if all normal they don't use it as theres nothing to highlight, and even if they see lesions, they don't use it either, he said because the 3T is so clear, they don't need it.

So I don't know, maybe its different here in Australia, but I will certainly ask my neuro when he gets back.

[Lulu54]

Bio hit all the answers I was going to give you - this is bull-youknowwhat.

This radiologist must be a dinosaur and did his training before the MRI was invented.  He is so, so wrong about the 3T being ok without the contrast agent.  How else do they know if the disease is in an active phase on the MRI pics if they don't use contrast to see if the lesions enhance?

Then the BS about the records is totally off base and illegal to boot.  Public hospital or not, they are not adhering to the law.  They are your records and you are entitled to a copy of them.  Period.

I hope you hear from the doctor that there is enough on your films to be of use.

be well, be tough and get those records

Lulu

[biowham]

You feel free to contact that hospital right back and explain to them your rights as a patient under federal law. Whatever records they have are yours. They may charge you, but you have federal rights to access to them:

"Health Insurers and Providers who are covered entities must comply with your right to:

Ask to see and get a copy of your health records
Have corrections added to your health information
Receive a notice that tells you how your health information may be used and shared
Decide if you want to give your permission before your health information can be used or shared for certain purposes, such as for marketing
Get a report on when and why your health information was shared for certain purposes
If you believe your rights are being denied or your health information isn’t being protected, you can
File a complaint with your provider or health insurer
File a complaint with the U.S. Government"

Who Must Follow This Law
We call the entities that must follow the Privacy Rule covered entities.  
Covered entities include:
Health Plans, including health insurance companies, HMOs, company health plans, and certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Most Health Care Providers—those that conduct certain business electronically, such as electronically billing your health insurance—including most doctors, clinics, hospitals, psychologists, chiropractors, nursing homes, pharmacies, and dentists."

--And that business about not using contrast in an MS protocol MRI is absolute ca-ca. Please see the latest protocol guidelines:
mscare(dot) org(slash)cmsc(slash)images(slash)pdf(slash)mriprotocol2009(dot)pdf (or search: Consortium of MS Centers: MRI Protocol for the Diagnosis and Follow-up of MS). One of the ways of determining active demyelination is to identify lesions that enhance. Can't do that without enhancement.

For whatever reason, this hospital screwed up and they're giving you the runaround big time. Let them know that you know your rights.

Bio