My one year MRI results

[westcoastroller]

I just went for my 2nd MRI, this time with contrast.  The Dr an ENT Specialist had me phone his office and the Dr just told me the results over the phone,  no growth and I will need another MRI in a year, and if after 5 mri no growth then I won't need any more.  Funny thing having a phone Dr appt. the man has no bedside manners but don't know how much more impersonal he could get, he must be making a fortune from the Canadian health system.  I am very happy there is no new growth.  Oh the size is 1.6 x1.3 x 1.1, After my first MRI I was sure he only gave me one number 1.3.   

[Derek]

Congrats on the 'no growth' result of your recent MRI....that is just the right kind of news we like to hear!

Keep up the good work and may you always remain in W & W 

[westcoastroller]

Thanks for the congratulatons Derek, wow 10 years w & w for you , your a real veteran. how can you do it.

THis past year i have noticed some mild changes could be An related> tinititus, hearing diminishing, balance waivers,  ear pain, full head.  I have afull time job with lots pressure and frequenty i lose focus.  I miss alot of conversations because I cant hear and i don[t think my comprehension skill is normal..-  a year ago I started hiking, biking, and am signed up for a 10k run in April. 
If I change from watch and waist to treatment, I want to be in the best possilbe state physically to make it through surgery with no ill effects.  I am a firm believer that when doctors treat people that are in strong physical health it makes there job easier and they may even try harder.

[Derek]

Hi again...

Re your current symptoms...you have to take into account that you have only been diagnosed for just over 1 year. I too experienced most of the symptoms you refer to in my first couple of years following diagnosis at age 58 years when I was then also in a very high pressure occupation as a homicide investigator. However after the second year my symptoms decreased and have now all abated. The only legacy I am left with is the single sided hearing loss which I am now fully accustomed to and which is no real problem to me in my day to day routine.

Maintain your healthy active lifestyle and positive attitude, undertake annual MRI scans and with guidance and advice from a neuro consultant in whom you have complete trust, hopefully you may never require any treatment intervention.

Best Regards

Derek

[mk]

I have one advice here: Make sure to request full copies of all your radiology reports, and the actual scans in a CD. Don't take no for an answer, you are entitled to these. You can contact directly the MRI clinic to get them. This is very important, because you may need to have all your records available in the future if you decide to get more consultations. You will be also able to monitor the different size reports yourself for discrepancies. Doctors and radiologists may change, you need to have the documentation available.

Marianna

[Mickey]

Congrats on the W+W! Although your early in the process your keeping that active is a plus. Keep up good eating habits along with some essential supplements and hopefully we all can be on this board many years to come. Best wishes, Mickey

[nftwoed]

Hi;

   What I hate is when the radiologist's report and Dr's assessment don't agree. It raises a question in my mind. That being; Who is more qualified to interpret MRI, radiologist, or ENT/Neurotologist? I was misdiagnosed for 6 years because an ENT overturned the correct report of the radiologist.

I have one advice here: Make sure to request full copies of all your radiology reports, and the actual scans in a CD. Don't take no for an answer, you are entitled to these. You can contact directly the MRI clinic to get them. This is very important, because you may need to have all your records available in the future if you decide to get more consultations. You will be also able to monitor the different size reports yourself for discrepancies. Doctors and radiologists may change, you need to have the documentation available.

Marianna

[mk]

That's why you need to have both reports, and ask questions if there are discrepancies. In my case the radiation oncologist was saying that there was no growth after GK, whereas the radiologist concluded that there was growth after reviewing the entire series of recent scans. Seeing that the report disagreed with the doctor's assessment I contacted him back asking him about it, and he had another radiologist take a look at it. They all finally concluded that indeed there was growth.
Some times reading these scans is not straightforward and there is room for different interpretations, this is why one should be on top of this.

Marianna

[westcoastroller]

I have one advice here: Make sure to request full copies of all your radiology reports, and the actual scans in a CD. Don't take no for an answer, you are entitled to these. You can contact directly the MRI clinic to get them. This is very important, because you may need to have all your records available in the future if you decide to get more consultations. You will be also able to monitor the different size reports yourself for discrepancies. Doctors and radiologists may change, you need to have the documentation available.

Marianna

I had the MRI's done at a Canadian Hospital.  Should I contact the radiology dept at there and request the reports? 

[Derek]

Hi W...

Absolutely...as previously mentioned, you have a legal right to obtaining copies of your MRI scan results and relevant neuroradiology reports. I have all of mine over the past 11 years and fortunately there has never been any conflicting differences of opinion between the neuroradiologists and the neuro consultants. The retention of the copies are essential for future reference purposes particularly so if the same radiologist and consultant are not constant over the ensuing years.

Regards

Derek 

[mk]

Regarding the report, your family doctor's office should have a copy of the report. You can go there and ask the secretary for a copy.
Where did you have your MRI done? Depending on the hospital there are different procedures to obtain the CD, so you should ask the radiology department. For example for the hospitals in the University Hospital Network in Toronto, you have to go to a central location at the Toronto General Hospital.
They once told me here at the local hospital that I should pay for the CD, which eventually was not true. I never had any problems getting the CD. If they ask why you need it, you can tell them that you need it for doctor's consultations.

Marianna

[Sheryl]

I have become a little "OCD" about our medical records since we have so much going on.  I request each and every report and x-ray and also have set up a page on the computer for each of us with meds, surgeries, non-surgical problems, pharmacy numbers, allergies, and latest immunizations.  You can't imagine the number of wonderful comments I get when I hand a printed page to a doctor or his nurse - plus, on those miserable forms you have to fill out, it is so easier to write, "see attached".   I recently showed my brother, who is a physician, my list and he drooled over it - he wished all his patients had one.   Just remember to update the file regularly.  You may find that the radiology offices are now charging for copying x-rays onto CD's.  One place we deal with will give me one copy for free and I've been told they can be copied but I never tried.  If you give them a doctor's address, they should send it out no charge. 

I've been doing W&W for 11-1/2 years and hope to continue, staying ahead of Derek!!!
Sheryl

[Derek]

Hi Sheryl...

I feel sure that I will always be the 'chaser' and long may that continue....11th year MRI scan due next week!

Kind Regards

Derek

[arizonajack]

You may find that the radiology offices are now charging for copying x-rays onto CD's.  One place we deal with will give me one copy for free and I've been told they can be copied but I never tried.  If you give them a doctor's address, they should send it out no charge. 

I get my first CD for free at the VA and it's $5 each for additional CDs.

I copied mine once and the imbedded software in the original made the copy useless. YMMV.

I pick up my MRI CD right after I have the MRI so I can view the results as soon as I get home.

[Sheryl]

Derek - keep us updated on your MRI results.  Nice to still have a guy chasing after me 

Glad things are going well - hope they continue.
Sheryl