Hospital have my MRI/CT scan results but won’t give them to me for 2 or 3 weeks

[Lumene]

Are there any guidelines as to how quickly nhs must give you results of scans once they have them? I had scans to rule out (hopefully) the possibility of a tumour and would obviously really like to know what they say.

MRI was done 3 weeks ago. I asked how I could find the results out a while ago and they said they would go to my GP. GP has heard nothing so I rang hospital to ask when they are due. They said they were showing on file as through. I asked how to find out the results and they said they could ask the doctor to write a letter to my GP, which will take 2-3 weeks.

Is there anything I can do to find out more quickly?

I don't know but the anxiety train is unstoppable when it comes to the wait for these results, isn't it?

In my area there is an online portal that you can sign up for that shows the letters and blood test results and things like that but it doesn't include scan results.

The only small comfort is if there's anything terrible in my experience they are pretty good at rushing you an appointment through, but it may not always be the case.

Here's hoping for good news for you

Thanks Don, I do feel quite unsettled.

Hopefully the delay is a sign they didn’t find anything serious, but given dealings with them so far I don’t have a huge amount of confidence!

I’ve tried pushing results for my daughter, it once took 5 months for eeg results. I can only sympathise

5 months! For a child as well. That’s terrible Juniper.

OP, I my experience, no news is good news. I am sure that you would have heard by now if there was something serious going on esp as the scan has been reviewed. I would give the GP a nudge.

I had a US scan for something last year which showed cancerous features and needed further tests (all clear in the end). Report was sent the same day to my GP who called me the next day to see him urgently.

Them being on file doesn't mean theyve been 'reported on'. There's often a backlog for this. The report is from a consultant that looks at the images and interprets them. So the scans being on file doesn't mean the results are there.

Thanks flyings, that’s reassuring. The GP doesn’t have the scan results yet. I rang the hospital today who said they already have them and could ask the doctor to write to my GP but it would take 2-3 weeks to do so.

Ah ok Prequelle thank you. That’s really useful to know.

I get scans every year as I had cancer. I have to wait 3 or 4 weeks. It is the most stressful time for me. I get so anxious, can't sleep, chest pains etc. I know people in America who get the results the same day. When I've complained they just say the radiographer has a massive backlog of results to look through. I think it's the usual story of understaffing in the NHS.

Thanks Sally . That sounds really stressful, sorry you have to go through that.

I do wonder what all this waiting us doing to the nation’s health!

In my case both CT and MRI results were with GP in matter of days after they had said weeks. So being called so early in the doctors gave me huge anxiety. In fact both results were clear.

Oh no Oldmum! Glad they were clear though.

Yes Lumene I hope to reassure others who get called early not to assume bad news straight away.

Hope you find out soon OP. The waiting seems unfair.

Thanks Molly, I really appreciate it.

Normally when they are slow its means its clear - had to wait 3 months to get results of uterine biopsy for uterine cancer - clear. My GPs surgery loses a lot of things but I find its often worth calling them re cancer results and often someone will search for them.

I had another uterine biopsy about 3 years earlier and got told to call doctors 2 days later. It was clear. Its so stressful waiting - I went through 5 lots of cancer tests last year all clear but ended up a nervous wreck by the end.

I has a similar issue with a scan. I phoned PALS (patient liaison services. Lady there read out my report, even though she wasn't allowed to.

There is a delay in typing letters, due to cuts in admin. Some of it is actually done abroad. First à consultsnt needs to review the results. Sometimes it will need to go to a multidisciplinary meeting for general concensus. It then goes on the list for typing before being sent and this can take se weeks.

It is definitely a fact that no news is good news as the hospital would have contacted you otherwise, rather then letting it for your gp to decide what to do.

It's not up to the GP to be the consultant's messenger, you should get them at the next consultant appt or they should write to you directly.

Thanks avocado and swing. I’m hoping it is that no news is good news. Although my urgent referral for the initial appointment went AWOL and I only found out because I rang to chase up and had to get PALS involved to sort it out. So not hugely confident they are on the ball.

Dietcoke is that right? The hospital told me to go to the GP to get results and the GP receptionist seemed unsurprised by this?

It depends who referred you?

If there was anything urgent they would definitely have flagged it up as soon as the images were looked at.

I had a scan recently and it was within a few days although it wasn't urgent, there was something.

Thanks Iam. The GP referred me to the consultant and the consultant referred me for the scans.

If it isn’t a tumour it may be something else that would require follow up by a different specialist and may also be fairly urgent, so it would still be good to know as soon as possible.

Hi OP,
Generally if the results look bleak, they let you know as soon as possible. Everyone I’ve known who has had bad abnormal results (and I’ve known a lot) has found out either the same day or the day after. From what I can gather, they really don’t like to hang about with that kind of thing and ‘fast-track’ anyone with bad results.

So sorry you’re anxious about your scans- I hope everything is how it should be.

Thank you mrsdavys that is reassuring!