Always get your radiology reports!

[Spaceystac]

This is not a question, just a friendly reminder.

When ever you get an X-ray or Mri, get your report! Read it, look up the words you dont understand. You should get the images as well but they are hard to understand on your own. Doctors usually only look at the impression if the report, which doesnt state everything. The radiologist usually only notes the things that he or she feels is the cause of problems. Or new findings not on previous reports.

Recently I have been experiencing severe lower back pain (more than my normal). I told my doctor that if I cant have a Mri (just had 1 in march) than I want an x-ray so if anything is broken or out of alignment at least we would rule it out. She asked where my pain was. I told her I had been having cramping and spasms higher towards my ribs as well as the severe pain in my lumbar. She gave me a referral for a x-ray on my sacrum, lumbar and thoracic spine. And I went and had it done that day.

I went and got my report the next day ( I am very impatient).   I read through it and read something I didn't understand. After a simple look up of one word, I discovered that I most likely have stones in my right kidney.

I asked my doctor when I saw her next, if she got my results. She said yes, then she went in her office and got the report and set it on the counter. Then went back to her computer and said nothing about the report. I asked "so, did you read my report?" She said yes, degenerative changes at T8-9 and S shaped curvature through lumbosacral spine. I was blown away! I had to show her that is said what it said.  She said something like, I was reading the impression, why wouldnt they put that in there?   I told her, its because they dont think it is the cause for my problems or they think maybe I already know about it?
I also noticed that the radiologist didnt note any of the degenerative changes that were previously noted about my L4-5 and L5-S1 or my spina bifida occulta.  I also have 2 Mri reports that are very different, even though nothing had changed between the two incounters.  They both state things differently, one person says degenerative changes, another says disk desiccation. One report shows the Tarlov cyst at S-2, the new one says nothing about it.   I just think that is wrong.
Plus, they had to have me get another x-ray to actually diagnose the presence of kidney stones. For some dumb reason, it had to be a laying down x-ray instead of a standing one. And again this doesnt give them a way to see how big they are so they will eventually have to do an ultra sound to see if they are too big to pass if they start causing problems. This seems not very cost efficient.
I just dont understand why they do things like that and I think it's wrong.  I believe there needs to be a stricter template for how to write these things out. Just cut and dry, this is what is not normal, then an opinion of what is most likely to be symptomatic,then that doctor actually read the whole report.  The radiologist is allowed to have their own opinion, which isnt that bad until they start leaving out very important findings.   I think their needs to be standardization of this system, as do many of the systems in or costly failing heath care "system".    

Thanks for reading!!!  

This important public service announcement was brought to you by...    Spaceystacey    Have a nice day!

[taylapj]

Hi, I agree with Selma, Try to relax darling, it will only add to your stress / symptom cycle if you panic. Try to set your self goals, i do, like ok ive had a MRI - next Tuesday i will ring for results, but i expect them within 2 weeks.....

I do understand about the Kidney thing tho, it's so frustrating i know, I was admitted twice into hospital in June for, what i can describe as sthe most painful PAIN ever in my lower back, abdomen area and chest area ... i had Xray and Ultrasound, X ray was fine, Ultrasound said dilation of both kidneys no stones tho, SO i google this, Dilation of kidneys = Acute renal failure  ....... so i start to think oh my god, what the hell is going on?! [This is on top of getting my other diagnosis of Chiari, disc prolapse and Scoliosis]  Any way the GPs did nothing as a follow up, so i demanded a repeat utlrasound, Got the results there and then - MY kidneys were all normal ..... and the pain? Comes and goes in waves, but touch wood its not been as bad as it was. I'm questioning if it could be nerve related.

YOU have to arm yourself with info, ALL doctors hate a patient who has come with info because they thing they area  hypochondriac .... But you have to almost lead your care to ensure you get the right care, after all, a doctors has hundred of people to think about,  you will never be at the top of there priority list.

[selmaS]

I wish I knew more about kidneys and xrays of them, but I have to take ur word for it....this is not an area I am familiar with.

I do understand that it is confusing, but it seems were r destined to be confused concerning health issues from the get go with chiari...so y not everything else.....not saying we want it......

So I imagine u have to wait until Monday to hear from ur dr's office?

"selma"

[Spaceystac]

I went and got my report cuz my doctor left for the day. The first report states :

Small radiographic densities project over the region of the right renal shadow and may represent  nephrolithiasis.

This is not how it looks at all, it looks like my right kidney is glowing not like I have small anything.  I have the actual x-ray that goes with the report.   Renal shadow means usually there is a shadow where your kidneys are in x-ray because they are soft tissue organs  they dont show up as anything but a shadow in a normal person....unless you have kidney stones. They  appear like little specks of white in a dark area where the kidney is in your abdominal cavity.

New report says:

Follow-up exam, evaluate right renal calculus

findings There are no abnormal calcifications identified to suggest renal calculi. The bones soft tissues are unremarkable.



this really makes no since! My kidney's are most definetly not normal

[selmaS]

Hi Stacey...try to calm down...I totally understand y u r freaking out, but it won't help ne...in fact it could cause u to feel worse.

How long until u expect a call back?...try to get involved in a movie till then...ne thing to keep u busy.

"selma"

[Spaceystac]

OMG I am flipping out!  So, my doctors office just called me back in regards to the x-ray taken yesterday! I havent even gotten that  report yet, so I have no clue what it says, but apparently I doesnt look like kidney stones!  Now I have to wait for my doctor to get done seeing other patients so she can determine what I am supposed to do!   They should have talked to her first then called me, now I am just having a freaking panic attack witch  is really not helping my situation.         I think I am going to have my boyfriend take me to get my report. It is a friday so even if they needed blood or something, I wouldnt know the results until monday! And its almost the end of the day, im just so freaking out!  

This is the down side to knowing what is going on, They dont tell you....to avoid extra worry about things that they think you dont know about or have the knowledge to understand

[selmaS]

LMAO Stacey at ur public service message at the end there...cute, but u r sooooooooooo right and this is one reason y when someone will ask what an impression means, I usually say print everything in the report, there r many things hiding through out the report.

It is sad, and I do say this often as well, that the report is an opinion of the radiologist and in fact sometimes they only include in the report what they were asked to look at...u have a few rebels that will say, I know this is chiari and I am going to include it.

Then u have the NS...many do not read the reports as they can decipher the MRI's themselves and choose to do so....and if not a chiari specialist...the report will not help....

There deff needs to be a more standardized method of recording info found/seen...but keep in mind these r human beings and some things can slip past them too.

The best solution right now, is what u did Stacey...get copies and read thru them and be ur own advocate...even good drs have bad days and could miss something....

Thanks for the reminder...and the reality of what can happen if u leave it to ur drs!
"selma"