MRI - why was contrast not done?

Hi Everybody

Hope you are all having a good week.

For those who don’t know, I am undiagnosed, undergoing tests.

I had an mri scan on Monday, full head, neck and spine. On the letter the neuro sent me she said she was organising this scan to be done with contrast. When I went to the hospital the scanner man said “Ok, head and spine, thats a long one, you’ll be in about 45 mintues”. I asked if that included the contrast scan and he said he didn’t think he was doing contrast but would check it out.

At the end of the scan he said “that’s it then, you’re done” and I asked if they were’nt doing the contrast then, and he said, no, the consultant looking at the scans said it wasn’t needed.

How can a different consultant/radiologist decide not to bother with contrast against my neuro’s instructions?

My own over-imaginative mind has reached the possible conclusions of:

There was nothing at all on the images he glanced at so thought why waste the time/money

There was lots on the images so no need to do contrast

Not enough time/money, lets not bother!

Any insight would be appreciated

Thanks you

Hiya…I have had two mri scans done,both ordered by the same neuro.With the first he said not to be suprised if contrast was done but it wasnt and in follow up he was disappointed. With the second he said contrast was def needed…it wasnt done. At that follow up he wanted to know why it wasnt again as if it was my fault.I did ask the bloke doing it before we started and he said it wasnt on the form and they only do what the form says…the neuro wasnt best pleased with that response but thats what he said…the neuro has now moved me elsewhere!

As far as insight goes I think they are all laws unto themselves.

Pip

Hiya…very odd indeed re your contrast not being used for your MRi I had a brain mRI done a few weeks ago and I aksed if they were going to use contrats…they said no it wasnt requested on the form…so it can vary I guess…

Pip thats odd too re yours…it shows the system isnt good even if the neuros ask for it…surely a simple phone call to the neuro or secretary would confirm either way…who writes the request forms? the neuro? lol perhaps patients can be given a letter detaling what is required ie with or without contrastso that can be back up when you go for a scan…so its clear to all what is needed? Mine was a cancellation appt re MRi so I didnt have any paperwork which they didnt liek at all!! lol

e

I had exectly the same thing, neuro ordered a follow up from my original head mri done a few weeks earlier. He wanted a full head and spine with contrast, and said so on his letter. However, the scanner people said they had no record of that, and it was evening so nobody to ring. I showed them my letter from the neuro, but as it wasn’t on their system, they wouldn’t do it. I had the scan without, but was moved from one scanner to another, higher resolution one half way through. I rang the neuro the next day and he wasn’t impressed. Now waiting for yet another appointment! NHS at its best eh? And they wonder where all the money’s going!

I also succumbed to pressure and had the dreaded Lumbar Puncture. All i can say is, don’t do the caffiene thing if you suffer from migraine. Possibly the worse week of my life.

Sounds like it’s a common thing - what a waste of time and money, because all that will happen is that loads of people will need rescanned Stooooooopid short term thinking by some accountant somewhere probably

I don’t believe the radiographer’s tale that a consultant decided it wasn’t necessary. A consultant sitting there looking at scans as they’re done? Yeah, right! Not in a million years!

I would bet that the simple explanation is the right one - they screwed up.

Try not to worry about it.

Karen x

Thank you all for your replies.

Seems this happens quite a lot then !

I thought the comment about the consultant looking at the scans as they came out might be a load of old cods… !

I can’t imagine my neuro being too pleased that she has been ‘over-ruled’ and won’t be surprised if she says I need to have it done again!

More waiting time I guess …

Cathy x