to worry over what this radiographer said?

[doginthepond]

I'm very much hoping you all say AIBU!

I'm 2 years post cancer and had a check up scan this morning. Normally the radiographers do a 'all done, off you go' type communication when finished.

Today I got - 'it'll be 5 days before the images are read. Have you got an appointment with your doctor lined up? Good, that's in the system then. Are you feeling ok? (As I was climbing off the machine)

All perfectly innocent but when you've been through the head fuck of cancer, all rational thought goes out the window......

Chickoletta. Your comment is rather insulting to radiographers. Of course they can read x-rays. Maybe not to the in-depth level of a radiographer but they certainly have greater skill than "just taking the x-rays."

I had a chest x-ray a few years ago, the radiographer said 'don't be surprised if they make you have another one' I asked why and she she said 'there's some fluid in your abdomen' .. I asked the consultant whether she needed to send me back and she looked at my x-ray and said 'no, it's all fine' .... I spent the next 12mths worrying that she had kissed it and I had some sort of cancer that causes fluid to gather in your abdomen because of that bell end radiographer!

The radiographer isn't going to know your medical history, why you're having the scan, so won't know what your past is, what you're worried about or what you're there for. So you shouldn't read into anything they say.

I had this with mammograms, I don't think they are allowed to comment any more until the images have been analysed. Try not to worry

Radiographer said nothing out of the ordinary.

Some of these comments are very insulting. You may be horrified to know that radiographers DO report on scans/imaging in a lot of trusts.

Oh and 'just taking the images' is a lot more than you may think it is, and involves a very good knowledge of anatomy and, therefore, anything abnormal is very easily seen by a radiographer.

I scan and report my own scans, which is then sent to the referrer.

If everything is normal then I usually tell patients, however sometimes people cope better being told of anything picked up on a scan by their own GP/referring doctor, where a care plan can be put in place with them at the time they are told rather than by me, who is not in charge of their care.

It may be just the automatic reply to just check that you are in the system and have an appointment, and will not be missed. She might be just being thorough

God I know that feeling! I've had exactly the same issue with post cancer check ups and I actually think the problem is with the staff who say something jolly and reassuring, rather than sticking to the script. It means that any variation makes you ridiculously worried, and there is nothing worse than waiting for results: "scanxiety" is just crap. Please don't read anything into it.

I scan and report my own scans, which is then sent to the referrer.
In which case, if you see something on the scan that may be of interest to a patient, perhaps it might be appropriate to tell them? Otherwise people will just assume all you are doing is taking the picture

Radiographers don't JUST take images, we also compile a preliminary report to be sent to radiologists AND dedicated reporting radiographers. We don't just got to university for three years to 'just take pictures'. We must be proficient in anatomy, physiology, pathologies and patient pathways. The modern radiographer actually performs duties that traditionally were the radiologists. We have an ever expanding scope of practice that allows us to work in a number of ways.

@Chickoletta Radiographers don't JUST take images, we also compile a preliminary report to be sent to radiologists AND dedicated reporting radiographers. We don't just got to university for three years to 'just take pictures'. We must be proficient in anatomy, physiology, pathologies and patient pathways. The modern radiographer actually performs duties that traditionally were the radiologists. We have an ever expanding scope of practice that allows us to work in a number of ways.

I recently had a chest x-ray at 6.30 on a Friday evening - I was told it would be about a week before my GP got the results and I was to ring to check if they had them and make an appointment.

9 am Tuesday morning I had a call from the surgery saying my results were there and to make an appointment - in effect it had only taken one working day so obviously I was worried, assuming it was so quick because it was bad news. All was fine however - they were just being super-efficient, it does happen!

Try to stop worrying

That sounds a perfectly normal conversation post scan / Xray.

As a reporting radiographer myself we no longer give patients results back directly to them. We had a patient (who was over 18) who we gave results too (nothing sinister) whose parent complained to PALS and chief exec that we gave the patient incorrect results and we shouldnt be doing so.
We didn't give incorrect results, the patient told the parent something different to what we had said (we always have a chaperone with us, more for our safety than the patients!). after all the hassle from that we now tell patient the results will be sent to GP / consultant in a weeks time and they can talk with the patient.

Non reporting. Radiographers also "red dot" an image for A&E Drs to draw their attention to fractures. On a past audit Drs were missing fine fractures that radiographers could see. With the introduction of radiographers red dotting images this resulted in quicker diagnosis of fractures for patients.

And yes the radiographer taking Xray / scan will know what the scan is for, why and the clinical question the dr wants answering. The radiographer is legally responsible for justifying the Drs request. Quite often the Drs are unsure on the right type of imaging and will request an Xray, but an ultrasound may be more beneficial.

I teach Drs who are studying to be consultant radiologists. Their first yr they are generally clueless. It's a steep learning curve for them and will always come to us for advice. The consultants will always tell them to seek help from us.

The imaging department in which I work is still unable to run at 100% due to the cyber attack afecting our systems quite badly. We're telling patients to wait at least 10days for results as unable to send them down the wire at the moment.

Oh.. and radiographers are not nurses.

Did you get your results dog? I hope it was all OK

Sounds like they were just being professional. Thinking of you OP

I think radiographers/doctors etc don't always realise how things can come across. I remember a doctor examining me when I was almost full term with my last child. She turned to a midwife and said, "Come and see what this feels like to you." I said, "Well I hope it feels like a baby." She laughed and said, "I wasn't sure if it was a head or a bum." But to anxious me it sounded more sinister. Even worse when a friend found out she was having twins by sonographer saying, "Her is the third arm, another head...." Friend started to cry and sonographer said, "What is wrong." Friend said, "Am I having a monster?" Puzzled sonographer, "No, it's twins." Really upset anxious first time mum.

dog. I hope you got your results & they were all clear 💐

Ive had cancer and I know exactly how you feel. Every time I have a scan I read something sinister into the radiologist's comments or body
language. Every single time. It could be a comment, a look, she's being too nice (she feels sorry for me....) But so far the follow up scans have all been fine and all of this has been in my head. Please don't think anything about any of her comments; your scanxiety is getting the better of you. X

My son is a radiographer and I was a nurse. I can assure you radiographers absolutely are able to read and interpret images. What they don't do is report to patients.

Reading these comments is both funny and concerning.
I am what is known as a reporting radiographer. I am not a radiologist.
In the UK the general radiographer does not give a report at the time of the imaging, a radiologist wouldnt either in the case of multi slice imaging as they take time to read and consider before issuing a report. In some cases a radiologist may discuss some things with you as they perform, for example, an ultrasound, but are highly unlikey to give a definitive report on a more complex exam where 400 images have to be considered.
As a reporting radiographer I am fully competant to issue the same type of report as a radiologist, but once again, apart from in simple cases would be unlikey to do so at the time of imaging. I may use my knowledge to ensure important findings are expediated but, with an average patient not being able to understand the subtleties of the hospital system or delicacies of accurate interpretation, would be unlikely top go into detail with the patient at the time.
Even if a sonographer is authorised to discuss things with a patient, do you think telling a patient they have metastases in a 10 minute scan slot would be appropriate? The scan itself may take 8 minutes......think how late (and how angry) the patients would be at the end of the day when the sonographer was runmning 2 hrs late due to patient breakdowns etc.
I am Australia based now and here radiograpohers, even those like me, who have years of reporting behind them, cannot communicate results at the time of the imaging to the patient or atall as Autralian radiologist do not want to lose reporting plain films to radiographers. I am in a situation where I can report images from the UK via telehealth as a reporting radiogrpaher, but not those I take myself as an Australian based radiographer.
Patient interaction is a very fine line to walk. Too much information and you keep the patient happy...until the one day you get it wrong, too little chat and you make them angry by appearing rude.
Some patients dont take no for an answer and keep asking the same question over and over, even though you have told them you cant tell them anything for certain.
The bottom line is you wouldnt ask a plumber to diagnose your electrical fault, so dont expect the average image tech to give you a diagnosis, something which, for the vast majority of them, is ouside their professional scope.

I'm 12 years cancer free. Not in the UK but at no time have I ever been given feedback by a radiologist. My oncologist gives me the results usually two weeks after my MRI or CAT scan. If there was anything urgent they would call me before that time.

Waiting is awful and hopefully your results are negative.

I get the NHS can be shit at times, but hopefully the OP has now had the results after 5 years

THIS IS A ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!

@Gerry1234. I think the problem arises because sometimes you do get feed back the professionals and sometime you don't. If you're told on one occasion that they can't see anything of concern, and then on the next occasion they say, you need to make an appointment with your doctor or that they can't tell you anything, the patient's thoughts are obviously going to run to the worst conclusion. Human nature.

Ffs how do people happen upon these threads? It was posted in 2017. I really wish HQ would stop commenting on zombie threads.

Get a life