Referred by ENT Consultant for CT scan

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I’ve got GERDS and do a lot of throat clearing so GP said I should have an ENT consult and camera down throat to check for potential damage. Waited 2 years for appointment last month (for various annoying reasons). Had camera up nose down throat and discovered one of my vocal cords is paralysed. How long it’s been like that is a mystery.

Got referred for an ‘urgent’ CT scan - got letter from NHS days later which was for a follow-up consultation with ENT Consultant 6 weeks after my initial camera-down throat appointment. A few days later the letter arrived with appointment for CT scan itself which was 10 days prior to this follow up.

When I got to CT scan it involved a contrast dye and they did two scans - one of my ‘skull-base’ and one of my chest and upper abdomen. The nurse said the results could take a couple of weeks - I explained that I already had a follow-up booked in with the ENT consultant who referred me, and she said ‘hopefully’ they ‘should’ be ready by then.

Is there any chance they’d have me attend a follow-up without the CT scan results being available? Surely it would be an utterly pointless exercise if they didn’t have them - a waste of time for all parties. Do you think the fact that there’s an appointment already in place would prioritise my results being ready? It’s 10 days later so I’m sincerely hoping that’s the case!

Yes! This has happened to us several times. We were told that the standard time for reading a non urgent scan was 6 weeks. I'm sure it varies by hospital though. Can you check before you attend the appointment? Having said that I know it's incredibly difficult to find out who to contact!

I was referred for an echocardiogram and a CT scan, before I had the CT scan my cardiology appointment came through, which I went to and they basically said "Oh we'll know more when you've had the CT scan". So why on earth was I there?! I never did get another appointment through and they just sent me a letter with some basic information form the CT scan on it. As you've said, utterly pointless and a waste of time!

Oh gawd so it’s a possibility it won’t be there?! I will try and call a day ahead but will be raging if CT isn’t ready because in all likelihood another appointment won’t come through this side of Xmas. I got the CT scan done at a different hospital from the ENT department which might leave room for non-joined-up thinking.

Of course if something sinister has shown up on the scans they might not contact me in the interim if they know I’ve got the appointment soon anyway?

All will be revealed soon I hope. There are so many things that can cause vocal cord paralysis I’m trying not to think about it too much.

I've got a paralysed vocal cord / phonatory gap (ENT consultant called it both at different times), discovered when I had a camera down my nose/throat and ultrasound scan because I'd noticed a lump on my thyroid.
Ultrasound picked up some nodules (biggest one about 3cm) on my thyroid but because they look benign I've been discharged from ENT. They weren't bothered by my vocal cord and said it wasn't related to my thyroid but I think it is - I have some similar symptoms to you – croaky voice, constant frog in my throat, choking/gagging in my sleep, indigestion, etc.

I would be grateful they are looking into it properly. I think the radiologist usually looks at scan results quickly and the delay is usually whilst they wait for the consultant to review the scans. Your consultant should have the scans by the time you get your follow up. If nothing else it would be a chance for you to ask any questions. You can always go back if results are delayed.

I would ring your consultants secretary and ask if your appointment needs to be moved. Better to get a new date now with your results than go to your appointment for it to be rescheduled. By you calling and letting them know they may push for your results to be looked at earlier.

Just to update. Had my appointment with Consultant who had seen my CT scan thankfully. All ‘normal’ - nothing present in terms of masses, Tumors, enlarged lymph nodes etc… So relieved. He said it’s just idiopathic perhaps caused by a virus in the past that’s caused a Bell’s palsy type thing - said it could be caused by the Herpes virus? I’ve never knowingly had that or suffered from cold sores even. Had chickenpox badly as an adult and a few bouts of tonsilitis that were viral rather than bacterial. Who knows.

I’ve been referred to Speech Therapy as he would not consider surgery as my other vocal cord is compensating well. Fine by me 🙂