Not the X-ray results I expected

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Tatler

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My army med recorRAB show(of which I have copies) I had a bilateral pars defect with some disc bulging , anterior slip and grade 1 spondylolisthesis but I just got my nhs x-ray results back and the receptionist said it showed the lurabar spine is normal.

Either I have made a miraculous recovery of the radiologist had a hangover from the night before. I had x-rays with isotopes and a ct scan 12 years ago that identified the injury.

What do you think?
 
while a CT is always going to show much more detail than mere x ray here, i am wondering just how truely experienced and knowledgable the interpretting radiologist was who just read the latest x ray?? that DOES matter, in some cases alot too. if you truely need to know what any true spinal issues actually are, i would ask to have a contrasted MRI done which would also see way past where any of your testing so far has, down to the actual spinal cord/nerve level. that would show you in most cases just what really IS being impacted. while in some cases even a good contrasted MRI will not 'always' see or pick up certain types of findings for alot of different reasons, it would be far superior to anything else you have already had done. just make certain they also use the constrasting agent too since this just does help to better highlight some of the harder to see types of findings?

are you actually having any symptoms at this point? like pain nurabness tingling, anything/anywhere not just in the lurabar, just considering you were doing whats involved being in the army? its just that lurabar and the c spine too are the most vulnerable areas for injury since they are somewhat less protected? but, since the majority of the most common types of spinal issue tend to be more progressive in nature over time, esp with that many years in between scans, i would certainly think that an MRI thats contrasted would definitely show at least 'some" progression of what you just have there.

but it DOES definitely matter just how much real overall knowledge and experience ANY reading rad actually has per what they actually even would see on any given film they are reading. it can also be the quality of the films too in some cases. if they are not simply nice and clean and clear, you will not actually even begin to get that really good in depth read on them if things are even slightly blurred? just some 'stuff' for ya. but if you are having ongoing symptoms, it wouldn't hurt to simply do the MRI. Marcia
 
Yeah I'm having lots of discomfort at the moment, I can only walk a hundred meters before it gets too uncomfortable to carry on. I
 
I also had differing opinions on the results of tests that I had. Some docs claimed I had stenosis, some claimed I had facet joint arthritis, and didn't have stenosis, yet I had all the symptoms of stenosis and arthritis both, I couldn't stand long, walk long, now I can't sit long, leg cramps if I am up too long, so it was very frustrating, I knew I wasn't nuts and had better things to do than to make this up, yet they just said all these stemmed from my lower back problem, and still did not know the actual source. I had to keep complaining. I was then referred to a pm doc, who listened well, looked at my old MRI that was 2 years old, who then ordered MRI with contrast, problem found, and a reason for my pain. Facet arthritis, which I knew I had, AND 2 bulging disks, one which is pinching a nerve, which explained all of my other symptoms. I was being treated, or not treated, for the wrong thing. So keep at them like you plan to do and good luck!
 
Get in an MRI. I had to fight my ins co a few years ago to get one. It showed all the problems I was having which the many x-rays failed to show. To my knowledge, an MRI is usually the best instrument to detect what's going on. Many ins co don't like to give them due to the cost.Good luck.
 
The receptionist told you the spine was normal? The receptionist is not legally qualified to tell you anything about the results.

You should have spoken with the radiologist directly. If it were me I would be calling the radiologist about the results.
 
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