MRI today...all for nothing??

[Sefra22]

I had my 3 year follow up MRI today. I have had it done at this same place for the last 5 times. I always,always,always bring my Doctor's instructions, but they always,always tell me they don't need them, so I didn't today.

Well, after about 30 minutes they tell me I'm done and as I'm sliding out, I ask them when they are going to inject the contrast. The tech told me the Doctor's orders said "without contrast". She even told me that she didn't understand why, but that she had no authority to override the orders. I tried to explain that there had to be a mistake, but there was nothing she could do. It was 7am, and the Dr's office wasn't open yet.

For the record this is my PCP (an internist), who I have set up the tests for me so I can have them sent out of state to the Neurologist who treated me. She does not know a lot about AN's , but has never messed this up before. I'm sure it was an honest mistake...but....

Once I got to work this morning I called the office, and was told the Doctor had ordered "without contrast", and they would have her  assistant call me as soon as she could.
Well, that was 8 hours ago.

I know it makes it easier to read with the contrast, but is all lost? I know my insurance company will not pay for more than one MRI per year. I feel they owe me another scan at no charge, but I will have to wait until I get a call.

Hopefully I can keep my temper in check as I don't get mad that often, but I am really PEEVED!

Lisa

[mk]

Lisa,

Sorry for this mix up. This is so frustrating, having to wait for a year to see how things are going and then figuring out this mistake. Anyway, if it makes you feel any better an AN of your size should show up clearly without contrast, if you know what you are looking for. So your doctor should be able to get the needed information on size. What he/she will not be able to see is if there is change in contrast (ie. darkening/necrosis). But I am thinking this is not relevant anyway so far off your treatment.  Actually I know that in some hospitals here in Canada they don't do the contrast unless necessary. This is how my 3 month post-GK MRI was done - it was too early to detect necrosis, so the doctor only wanted to see if there are any changes in size.

I wish your results are great, even without contrast. Keep us posted on what the doctor says after viewing the scans.

Marianna

[CHD63]

Lisa .....

I can fully understand your frustration.  I had the same thing happen to me a year before my AN was diagnosed.  My doctor had told her staff to send the order to the hospital, with and without contrast.  Alas, the "with contrast" part was not transmitted.  When I questioned it, I was told the exact answer you were ..... mine was after office hours and could not be altered.  The report was read as negative.  By one year later (when my insurance would pay again), I still had severe balance issues and had also suddenly lost 20% of my hearing in my left ear.  Lo and behold, there was a big ole 2.0+ cm AN.

If it is any consolation, when I went for the consultation with the neurosurgeon, I took both MRIs.  He studied them very carefully and his assessment was that the first non-contrast MRI should have shown at least a shadow of one that size.  He felt it was not there and that I had a rare rapidly growing AN.  It was 2.6 cm at the time of surgery (one month after the diagnosing MRI of 2.0+ cm).

It makes you feel like they owe you one.  But like Marianna, I feel at three years out, if your previous post-treatment ones were on track, this one probably is OK, as well.

Let us know what your doctor says.

Clarice

[Jim Scott]

Lisa ~

We can readily understand your angst.  My wife underwent a very similar situation some years ago with a spinal MRI that was mistakenly ordered without contrast by her PCP. She had always had a closed MRI but the hospital tech insisted that an 'open' MRI would be more than sufficient for a useful scan. Well, when she saw her neurosurgeon, he said the scans were useless.   My wife immediately scheduled a follow-up visit with her PCP and explained the mistake (no contrast, poor results from the 'open' MRI) and basically asked him what he was going to do about it, because her neurosurgeon needed the MRI as a tool to plan upcoming spinal surgery for her.  The PCP apologized and called her neurosurgeon who verified that he couldn't use the MRI scans my wife had given him.  The PCP apologized again, contacted our insurance company, explained that his office (and the hospital) had made an error and, long story short: our insurance company authorized a second MRI scan; with contrast and on a 'closed' MRI apparatus.  Her spinal surgery was successful. 

I believe that when a mistake such as you've encountered is made its necessary to hold accountable those who made the error, as well as insisting that their error not be your problem. 

Jim

[Mark H]

Lisa,
I had the same thing happen in my MRI Sunday. It wasn't for my AN's, this was on my back. But since I do have NF tumors there I was hoping to have te contrast but it was ordered wthout. When I do get my head done I'll make double sure the contrast is part of the deal.
Mark

[wendysig]

Lisa,

I'm sorry this happened to you.  Hopefully, with your doc's intervention you can get the MRI repeated at no charge to your insurance company.  Let us know what happens.

Wendy

[Sefra22]

Thanks for all the replies, I guess the lesson learned here is to ask BEFORE getting into the machine!

By the way, they still haven't call me back. I have an appointment to see my ENT on Thursday, he will review the tests then. I'm sure he'll let me know if he needs them re-done.


Lisa

[EJTampa]

This post was a life saver for me!  I was at the imaging center yesterday for my 1 year MRI and asked if the order was for both with and without contrast.  "Nope, just without".  I told them they'd better call the doc and check on that.  Sure enough, the doc said "both" and I left there a happier camper!  Had I not read this thread, I would not have even thought about it until they were removing me from the tube and telling me to have a nice day!
 
Ernie

[Sefra22]

I'm so glad my post helped you Ernie!

Last night when I got home from work, there was a message from my PCP on my answering machine. She said the radiologist was authorized to make the call about the contrast, and that they wouldn't charge me for the first MRI, and scheduled me for another.
Now, I just have to reschedule my appointment with my ENT.

Lisa

[EJTampa]

Hi Lisa,
 
Glad to see things worked out for you in the end!
 
Ernie