Confused by CT scan result: How can I get it explained?

karican,

Do you have the CT summary report? If so, look up every reference until you are able to understand the basics - it takes awhile to train oneself.

Call the doctor's office and request a call ... find another doctor and get a second opinion. Fight to be an advocate.

Thanks. I just contacted Mayo and hope can get a second opinion soon.

Insist on answers! You have the right to have these very important questions answered, if you doctor can't or won't take the time, think about another doctor

RIGHT YOU ARE - THERE IS ONLY ONE PERFECT ADVOCATE FOR YOU - LOOK IN THE MIRROR YOU WILL RECOGNIZE HIM/HER!

@karican8, I was scrolling thru the discussions on Connect, and your question caught my eye. I want to first say Welcome to Connect because I see that you joined yesterday.
I can understand your confusion when you saw the results of your husband's CT. My experience with any tests and scans has been to rely on the doctor who ordered the test to interpret the results for me. Only he/she knows my past/current history and knows what the results mean for me, the patient. On Connect, you are part of a community of patients and caregivers like yourself.
Here's an easy tip for being an advocate for your loved one and for yourself: In the future, always ask when and how you will hear from him about the results. It is what I have learned to do; it never has failed me.

When will your husband be seen by the doctor who ordered this CT scan? He is the one who needs to tell you what they mean. Does that make sense? If you don't have an appointment, why don't you make a phone call to his office and ask to see him for an explanation?

Thanks. I made the appointment next week, hope the doctor can really seat down with us to explain.

I just don’t understand those doctors, why you have to push them to talk to you or give you an answer.

As a former radiology resident physician, my experience indicates that clinicians' ability to interpret x-rays and CT scans is variable. On the other hand, not all radiologists are given all the pertinent clinical information, and will read the studies in a vacuum. Ideally the two specialists would work together and you would hear the same interpretation from either.
Hope this helps and good luck.

Thank you very much

I had difficulty with getting radiology to appropriately review my scans. I felt that the radiologist did not thoroughly review my CT scan. The scan was ordered by the surgeon's nurse practitioner so she contacted me with the results. The scan was specifically done to evaluate blood vessels and the radiologist did not even comment on the blood vessels. I insisted that the nurse practitioner go back and ask the radiologist to comment on the blood vessels. We had some back and forth, but the nurse practitioner did finally go back to the radiologist who reviewed and did comment on the blood vessels. I also asked that the radiologist compare the current CT with the CT prior to my biopsy since there were changes that could have been the result of the biopsy procedure done between the original CT and the follow up. Another back and forth discussion took place. Finally I was offered an appointment to discuss the findings with the surgeon. The surgeon did set up a virtual visit and we went through the CT scan report in detail. In the second instance, I had a sonogram and the radiologist did not compare the size of the tumor to the original scan, done 2 months earlier. I am a retired physician and called the radiologist myself to ask questions. Needless to say, I decided I needed to seek care elsewhere. I am grateful to have a pancreatic center of excellence within reach. Being your own advocate is essential.