Ms and previous head trauma...

I'm 32 yr old female.  I had a trauma to the head when I was three.  I'm thinking that my symptoms that mimic ms may be from the injury.  3 years ago, I had a neurologist tell me it's probably scar tissue, and told me I more than likely don't have ms, but he needed  to rule it out with an MRI.  I didn't have the test since he sounded confident about it.  However, recently I saw a DR about a simple neck injury I had.  He started a thorough H&P exam, and to my suprise, advised me to have an MRI to R/O ms.  All I want to know is,  do DR's just do these test as some kinda protocol eventhough theres a low chance of the mri being positive? For example, chest pain patients get a complete cardiac work up eventhough thier chest pain is from anxiety.   I don't know, at this point, how worried I should be.  I've been putting off the test...I don't have disability ins.   Thank you.

[painkiller99]

Hi.

A doctor's decision to suggest diagnostic procedures is based on his assessment of the medical history and physical examination.  Even if you came in for "just a simple neck injury", if your symptoms, history and physical and neurological examination do suggest a significant possibility of MS, it would be negligent for him not to consider doing an MRI to help in diagnosing or ruling out the disorder.

However, while it is the physician's duty to suggest procedures that he/she feels would lead to a diagnosis, it is your right to approve or disapprove performing the tests on you.  If you are unsure about undergoing a particular procedure, you could opt to have a second opinion from another neurologist.