How Reliable Was That MRI You Had?
If we undergo a medical test and the results come out “normal”, we probably trust that whatever was studied, is indeed truly “normal”. Read this report in the New York Times, and you will see that your trust may not be justified, at least in the case of MRI scans.
While not a scientific study, I highly recommend you read this article, as it emphasizes that when we undergo a test, particularly an x-ray, we still need to “listen to our body”. And if a test result comes out very different than what our body is telling us, consider a second opinion and repeating the test, probably at a university or specialized medical center.
Part of the issue is the quality of MRI machines vary greatly from center to center—the machine that scanned you might be several generations removed from what the university medical center has available…it could be the difference between “a black-and-white TV and HDTV” in image quality!
Further, the radiologist who read your scan may have been the “on call” weekend radiologist who is an expert on say, chest scanning, not on your knee scan. So investigate further if results don’t make sense to you, and this article gives you some places to start. (Part of the issue is that many doctors rely much more on test and x-ray results than on your history and physical examination… another reason you want a doctor who really listens to you…more in future posts.)
