Have you ever been told you need a followup chest ... - Page 2

puttypiesmom · ‎10-11-2017

@software wrote:
It's not a scam
I have chest x-rays regularly and yearly MRI
I've never been called back for a re-take with a nipple marker.
The nodules on my lungs are higher up in my chest, not near the nipple "shadow"
My doctor believes it's scarring from a previous bout of pneumonia.

Nipple markers are not used routinely, only if required.
Who told you to do the re-take? Your personal doctor or the radiologist?
I have Medicare and I'm in an HMO, an x-ray costs me $10
Have a discussion with your doctor.

It's still your choice, but no need to be angry and declare this a scam.

The imaging company. I am not on medicare and my xrays are more than $10 and it was both of us (husband and myself) that were told the same thing that we needed to have an additional xray done this time with nipple markers to rule out a nodule or cancer. We had our yearly physicals the same day with the same PCP but had our xray done each on a different day. The films were read by the same Radiologist from the imaging center. @software

software · ‎06-08-2016

Thanks for your input, John

@hckynut wrote:

@software

I completely agree. To start saying(asking) if this is a "scam" is pretty far out there. Couldn't make out if she or her husband decided on "scam", before or after they(she/he) saw their PCP(S)!

Afraid "we were dying", really? Maybe this is something new for them, getting an Xray. To jump to "death" because of this? Sure glad I am a laid back sorta guy.

hn

software · ‎06-08-2016

Interesting

I'm not a doctor so take this with a grain of sat

Unless you are in a risk group you really don't need a "routine" x-ray

If you are having no symptoms, you don't need an x-ray.

The imaging company doesn't want to send your doctor a report indicating a "shadow"

Talk to your doctor.

And the next time whenever or wherever, ask for a nipple marker.

And for the poster who said to get your film and take it elsewhere, everything is digital.

@puttypiesmom wrote:
@software wrote:
It's not a scam
I have chest x-rays regularly and yearly MRI
I've never been called back for a re-take with a nipple marker.
The nodules on my lungs are higher up in my chest, not near the nipple "shadow"
My doctor believes it's scarring from a previous bout of pneumonia.

Nipple markers are not used routinely, only if required.
Who told you to do the re-take? Your personal doctor or the radiologist?
I have Medicare and I'm in an HMO, an x-ray costs me $10
Have a discussion with your doctor.

It's still your choice, but no need to be angry and declare this a scam.

The imaging company. I am not on medicare and my xrays are more than $10 and it was both of us (husband and myself) that were told the same thing that we needed to have an additional xray done this time with nipple markers to rule out a nodule or cancer. We had our yearly physicals the same day with the same PCP but had our xray done each on a different day. The films were read by the same Radiologist from the imaging center. @software

bowlicious · ‎03-10-2010

I would go for the second xray. One of my friends had to have one presurgery. When they took the xray they noticed a dark spot in her lung. They were able to diagnos and treat her lung cancer before it spread.

Evie2004 · ‎09-09-2010

This reminds me of a funny story (not then) many years ago, women had a routine chest X-ray on the 2nd postpartum day..they suddenly had a couple of questionable X-rays that showed possible tumors/ spots in the neck areas...the radiologists looked into the patients & discovered the ones questioned had their hair in a ponytail, with those elastic bands with marble-like balls on them..

thank goodness someone was thinking!

PS..as a nurse, I have never seen a chest X-ray order with nipple markers.

Miss Shelly · ‎03-28-2011

I was a Medical Transcriptionist for 25 years, most of them in Radiology. It is not uncommon for the Radiologist to ask for another view with nipple markers due to a shadow which in most cases is caused by the nipple. Placing a tiny BB on each nipple with tape and shooting the image again will r/o an acutal problem vs. a shadow that means nothing.

You can call the Radiology office and ask what the charge is for the repeat views. If you decide not to do them, the Radiologist has covered their a** in the unlikely event it is something and the patient tries to sue. Only time will tell if it is a shadow or serious.

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

Forgive my strongly-held opinions about repeated exposure to the medical and dental profession's love of performing X-Rays and other forms of bodily radiation.....

If all of us were only living for the formerly common lifespans of 60 years or so, no one was thinking or needing to worry back then about the cumulative effects of radiation.

Now that we are living into 70s, 80s, 90s, all these dental X-rays, mammograms, CAT scans, orthopedic X-rays begin to add up, and I (personally) believe they can be more harmful than good......and should be used as sparingly as possible.

I've resisted constant dental, mammogram, bone-density exposure and any other radiation exposure out of what some might think to be an extreme case of caution and self-protection.

I do consent to this radiation on a limited and not very frequent basis. No problems so far.

My BIL has been diagnosed and surgically operated on for a form of cancer. He adamantly turned down the suggestion of having radiation to assure that surgery did indeed solve his problem. His follow-up checks for further cancer have proven to be OK without the radiation.

BIL also happens to be a radiology technician. He has his own strong opinions about subjecting a human to more radiation over a lifetime and thereby possibly creating more cancer-causing opportunitiies.

In other words, he believes too much radiation exposure can cause more problems than it can solve.

I can't imagine having a "yearly" chest X-Ray, yearly mammogram, etc. unless there's a REALLY good reason that it needs to be done NOW.

Jersey Born · ‎03-10-2010

I had no idea that at a routine physical a chest x-ray could be considered standard care. Times have certainly changed. It is one thing to use an x-ray for diagnostic purposes for a specific reason, and another thing entirely to use an x-ray on an annual basis just for evaluation purposes.

MomCat · ‎09-12-2010

@Jersey Born wrote:
I had no idea that at a routine physical a chest x-ray could be considered standard care. Times have certainly changed. It is one thing to use an x-ray for diagnostic purposes for a specific reason, and another thing entirely to use an x-ray on an annual basis just for evaluation purposes.

Actually, I was trying to figure this out too. Never heard of that as part of the annual. My only experience with this kind of x-ray was years ago when I went for a free screening offered by a local medical facility. They saw a shadow and suggested I have a cat scan with contrast. I hesitated because of my needle phobia, but I did it. Results were that it was normal, and these shadows are common. Nothing to worry about. That taught me to stay away from these screenings, and just stick with my annual wellness visits. I'll let my doctor order necessary tests.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

Add me to the list of people who doesn't understand a chest x-ray being a part of an annual physical, unless there is an issue we don't know about. I go yearly for a physical with my PCP and mine includes bloodwork. No other testing unless something shows up or I have an issue to be addressed. I personally would not want a yearl chest x-ray.

I have had to have chest x-rays a couple of times and there has never been an issue. They do use nipple markers during my yearly mammograms. Always.

I recently read an article in a medical journal here at work that indicated many facilities are sending scans, x-rays, etc. out of the country to be read and a lot of things are being missed. This is being done in an effort to cut costs. There are also a lot of doctors who do the readings from a home office. That doesn't sit well with me either.