MRI scan - consultant radiologist has asked for further views

[MikeHock]

Sorry in advance for the swearing but I am absolutely shitting myself.

Had an MRI brain scan last week due to long term one sided tinnitus and neck pain, and have been waiting a week for the results.

Today I got a letter saying that they need to look at further views, so I need to go back next week for another scan (I think, the letter wasn't to clear - it just said that an appointment has been made for me at 2pm)

I am so worried now and I am also annoyed that I will now have to wait even longer to get a diagnosis.

I know it's next week but it feels like such a long time to wait.

Was feeling ok about it all but now I just feel like crying .

Has anyone else been through this or does anyone know if speaking to my GP would get me anywhere? Or do I just need to be patient/keep busy?

too clear - sorry

My son has had loads of MRI's, oddly also for a condition which includes tinnitus and neck pain as part of it's range of symptoms, and yes, when you have to wait for the next scan to confirm what they think they can or can't see it seems to take forever. It's the "not knowing" and the stress which comes with it.

If it's any consolation, I spent about 2 months banging my head against a wall waiting for one of the Great Ormond Street Neurosurgeons to respond to a question my son's neurologist had posed, whilst in the meantime my son's neurologist intended to keep me in the dark (he clearly didn't know I had the right to a copy of the letter!!) Anyway, I digress....

I suppose the main point about whether it is worth speaking to your GP or not is, did your GP send you for the MRI, or where you sent from somewhere else?

Hi MotherJack, thanks for responding - I hope you have found some answers where your son is concerned.

I was referred to an ENT consultant by my GP, and then the ENT consultant sent me for the scan.

I believe that the radiographers look at the scan first and then send the info to the referring consultant, so I'm not sure whether he would be any the wiser than me at this point IYSWIM?

I waited 6 weeks for the initial MRI appointment - it's torture isn't it?

In that case, definitely NOT worth contacting your GP. (Especially as they sent you with neck pain to a ENT consultant!) I would suggest that the ENT consultant was just looking at those areas, but have realised it doesn't answer the neck pain question and want to look at that, perhaps? There is one "pain in the neck" problem I know of that can cause many symptoms. Are neck pain and tinnitus the only symptoms you have?

It is torture, yes. They did find out what was wrong with my son. They knew about a month before they told me, which was at best, shocking.

Your GP should have a copy of the report if your specialist has notified you that there are some results kicking around. If you have a sympathetic GP make an appointment and go in for some reassurance and ask them what is going on.

Well the main reason for the visit to the doctors was the tinnitus, the neck pain was a secondary complaint which comes and goes, but it is normally worse after I've slept on it funny. I also have sinus issues.

Thanks for your advice - I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Ahhh. Well, hopefully something will get spotted in the next MRI - they obviously think they have missed an important area.

Trust me, the GP won't know anything at this stage - they only get written to by the Consultant once the final results are known.

I say hunker down and take up knitting/do more mumsnetting

Waiting is horrid.

Thanks MotherJack.

I do have a 2.8 yo so keeping busy shouldn't be a problem.

Also will be scouring MN for some laughs to cheer me up .

Phew, yeah - I should say you will be busy with a 2.8 yr old! [exhausted]

Sometimes you need a second scan because the consultant radiologist wants to add some contrast to show up different pathologies. It's very frustrating to have to go back , but best to have a full screen and proper diagnosis.

and by pathologies doinmummy means the different types of tissue/blood vessels that we all have, nothing nasty.

Yes . Although sometimes something 'not normal' is seen and just needs to be enhanced a bit more for clarification. Occasionally the doctors who ask for the scan give incorrect clinical details which indicate to the radiographers doing the scan which bits of the body to include. When the radiologists look at the images they sometimes need a bigger area to be included hence the patient being recalled.

I have had referrals from gp's saying' pain in back' when according to the patient it's their knee that hurts !!