More cost added to MRI

[Richey]

I called to schedule my MRI to look at AN after GK in 2005. It has been a year since I had an MRI. They tell me now that I have to have a liver function blood work done before MRI due to using the contrast. That's fine but I am on statins for cholesteral  so I get blood work done every six months. Just had it done in the middle of November. If it's been over 30 days have to have it done again. I know this may be a good thing for them to check but seems like there should be some allowance for having it done every six months and it being normal for several years. This of course is not my main concern but sometimes I think the medical industry should take a more common sense approach to cost.

[Sheryl]

You are absolutely right but it seems the 30-day rule has been a "law" for awhile.  If you go in for any kind of preop testing and bring copies of blood work, x-rays, etc. that were done 31 days before you are out of luck.  Then who gets hit with increased insurance premiums?

[OTO]

I think the issue is the gadolinium used in the contrast agent.    In the recent past (around 2000) they have noticed a medical condition (kidney damage causing other problems) which can be caused by gadolinium.   I think the doctors are being conservative requiring blood work ups (kidney/liver function) prior to ordering MRI's with contrast.   There was another thread in the "Inquires" catagory asking why a doctor ordered MRI w/o contrast....   I did a google search, and there are websites asking people that have kidney damage and had MRIs since 1988 to sign up for class action lawsuits...

[Cheryl R]

  I am having my 6 mo MRI done the end of the week and for the first time was told needed blood work done before it.    It just happens that I just had the kidney function one  with other lab work the first part of Jan.  They never mentioned liver function test.         Luckily my BUN and creatinine  were ok since I am NF2 and have had several MRI's.               I still hate having them done!
                                                Cheryl R     

[Richey]

I first posted this but may have been mistaken about what the test was for. I do think it has more to  do with kidney function. My Father had a cat scan a couple of weeks ago with contrast and they required the same test. Maybe it's for our own good and I did not fully understand.

[Cheryl R]

I survived todays MRI quite well.    It only took one IV poke to get the needle in which I do pre MRI.      I have a tendency to get nervous bladder which is not good when one is stuck quite cozy in the machine.     I do them where I work so can sneak in computer and get the report.   That's the next scary part.                                          Cheryl R

[Sheryl]

Cheryl - hope the report turns out well.  I, too, have access ahead of time to my reports and sometimes that can be scary but it's better than some of the stories I've read on boards of people having to wait "weeks".  When I was doing transcription and had knee problems they gave me the dictation of my own knee to do.  After the first sentence, "complete tear of ACL", I couldn't type any more - I passed it on to another transcriptionist.  When I had a breast biopsy (exactly four years ago), I was in pathology and got the results right away - unfortunately my boss had to tell me I had breast cancer.  I felt worse for her than for myself.  I am doing great with that though.
Sheryl (too)

[Cheryl R]

I got my MRI report over the weekend.     It has went from 13.3 mm to 17 mm.    This actually is better than I expected with the amount of hearing loss I have had.   I wouldn't have been surprised if it was closer to 20mm or 2 cm.                  I am NF2 and how they grow can be different than regular AN's.      That gives me 6 mm growth over the past year.              I go to Iowa City Feb 19th for my appt.   
                                               Cheryl R