Community Chat

[sophiamarie]

Here's my story:

Three years ago (Nov. 2013) I fell in my house, wearing flip flops.  When hubby picked me up, I was able to walk okay, wiggle my hips, etc..... The only thing that didn't feel right was when I swivelled around in my chair, I felt a twinge in the inside of my upper thigh.

I called my PCP (Cardiologist/Internist) and he told me to go to the ER for an x-ray.  I did and that was normal.  The nurse moved my leg and it hurt, so she said I needed a CT scan.  That also was normal.  They sent me home, telling me it was a "contusion" with instructions saying it could take days to weeks for it to feel normal again.

Anyway, 12 days after the fall, my doctor called me to ask how I was doing and I told him I still had that "twinge"... He said they were going to make an appt. for an MRI for me that same day.  The appt. was made for 4 pm.  It was a Tuesday.

While I was getting dressed after the MRI, the tech came for me and said my doctor was on the phone with him (he was on his cell) and to tell me to call him back in 10 minutes.  I went outside where hubby had gone to get the car to pick me up, outside of the ER.  Anyway, I called him back and he told me I had a "fracture of the femoral neck" and to go to the ER and get admitted.  He had already called the Orthopod, who was going to come and see me after his office hours.

I was admitted and sure enough, the Ortho was there at 6 pm to tell me he had seen my tests and would do my procedure the next evening after office hours.  They put a 5 lb. weight on my leg, so as not to move it and possibly cause further damage.  So, stayed there that night and the next day, he put 3 titanium screws in my femur.  I think I was given Propofol.  When I awoke, I could have stepped off that bed and walked out of the hospital.  Absolutely no pain at all.  I couldn't believe it.  This was done on a Wednesday.

The next day was Thanksgiving (also my B/D) and when the Ortho came to visit me, I told him I wanted to go home.  This was after a PT had taken me for a walk earlier in the day and I was fine.  She had me use a walker.  He said he would call my PCP to make sure it was okay to discharge me and I was good to go.  The Ortho said he was going to give me a Rx for pain and I told him I had no pain and didn't need anything.  He looked at me as though I was crazy.  I guess nobody refuses pain meds whether they need them or not.  They sent me home with a walker and a high "potty seat" both of which I never used and also a cane, which I used for a day or two just in case the dog got too close to me.

So, two nights in the hospital was the biggest inconvenience of the whole experience.    I wish everyone could have it that easy.  It was such a "non-event" that it was as though nothing happened.  Exactly two years later to the day, was my last visit with the Ortho.  He said everything was healed and the screws were now useless and he would remove them if they bothered me.  Well, they don't bother me at all, so I guess they'll just stay where they are.

I guess just the x-ray and CT scan were not enough in my case.  I wonder how often things like this happen????

[BarbB]

pandalady, you're doctor probably is changing due to the amount of radiation from CTs.  A lot of people are claustrophobic with MRIs.  Your doctor can give you some Valium or some other drug to help, or find an open MRI unit. 

Here is a link I found that seems very helpful telling the difference between the two studies, though doctor's may choose one over the other due to certain circumstances:

http://www.diffen.com/difference/CT_Scan_vs_MRI

[RubyNoel]

I have worked in Radiology for many years. Yes, insurance dictates that standard x-rays are done before a CT scan in most situations.  It often has to do with the reason the exam is being done.  

[LilacTree]

I've had so many CT scans, x-rays, and other radioactive tests, I could set off a geiger counter.  I've also had many MRIs, which I hate (because of the noise, I'm not claustrophic).

I sometimes wonder if my ashes will be radioactive.

[jubilant]

I think I would ask for an MRI.  I feel they are safer.   I know some people can't have them.  My husband has an implanted defibrillator so he can't have MRI's.  Also, Fosamax reaped absolute havoc in my body. After 4 months on it I had to get off of it.  There is something new out now that my Dr. suggested.  It starts with a P.  Sorry I can't remember the name and, quite frankly, I never looked into it.  I do take my D.  I went off the Fosamax many years ago and guess what, my Dexa scans show me no worse as far as density goes. Maybe I just got lucky.  I was diagnosed with osteoporosis around the age of 50. That has been 16 years ago. Of course everyones situation is different.  I imagine you already know this but, just in case you don't, you can ask for ear plugs when having and MRI.  Good luck, Lilac Tree. 

[Yardlie]

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@BarbB wrote:

Hi.  I'm an x-ray tech and doctors always do regular x-rays first.  In many cases that's all you might need, but if problems persist and nothing showed on x-rays, they do further testing.  Usually it's an MRI for orthopedic problems, not CTs, which has no radiation.  Plain x-rays these days have very minimal radiation.

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Interesting. My ortho doc told me that CT scans are for bone problems, and MRI's are for soft-tissue problems.

[Moonchilde]

It's very common for a hairline or slight fracture not to show up at the time of injury. This is a forever-known thing.  Most likely the reason it's showing up on CT scan is that you're having the CT scan days or weeks after the fracture, when it would show up on x-ray as well.

You could always insist on a CT scan instead of x-rays if you're willing to pay the full price of the CT scan yourself. A partial spine CT runs $1100-2000 vs $500 x-ray. And the MD reading fee, a separate charge, is higher for a CT than a plain film.