Private MRI self paid - will it finally prove MS.....tired.

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
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Hi all,

With my continued symptoms and terrible myoclonus at the moment, and constant anxiety and tired of it - and still no NHS letter 2 months since my “attack” - i’ve decided to go for a private MRI, without consult, of my cervical spine and thorax - is there anything I need to ask for with regards to showing up MS lesions - contrast or no contrast - etc. i believe it should be with contrast?

My reasoning is when i get to see the NHS neurologist, I can actually just show her/him an mri report already , as the “emergency” brain mri i had took 3 weeks to book after my attack and a month to come back, rather than having to wait for an mri appointment and then another month at least for the results.
(ps. just discovered the brain mri they did was asked for with contrast - but no contrast was DONE!)

Current quotes are around 600ish pounds, but not sure if that is with contrast.

anyone with any experience of going private mri? thanks so much.

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Quite honestly I would get a private neurologist referral first and let her or him make the MRI referral after that first consult if that is what you agree to do. I have had MS for more than 20 years and consider myself a reasonably well-informed amateur, but I would not have the faintest idea what to ask for in an MRI referral: I do not have that skill set. I would not know what to ask the radiographer what to image and how, and I would not know how to ask the reporting radiologist what I wanted reporting on. If you don’t know those things either, I would suggest that you leave it to the experts.

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thanks @alison100 - given my other concerns and worries about whats going on i will get a followup consult with my private neurologist and then ask them to refer me - as you say - with all the correct details of what to go for.

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