Diagnostic scanning – “The Gold Standard”

 

 

To most they perceive that an ultrasound or MRI scan is needed to diagnose their condition and in some instances this is well the case. However scanning does not replace a clinical examination as often it is the clinical examination that will then lead the practitioner to referring for a scan.

 What do I mean by this?

Let me give you an example. Recently I have seen a woman who presented with severe back pain radiating into her right leg. On examination I knew that she was suffering from a disc prolapse. I treated her and on her 2nd visit there was no improvement so I referred her for an MRI scan and it confirmed a disc problem which was leaking into her nerve and so I referred her to see a consultant.

On this occasion I knew from my examination that she needed an MRI and referral to a consultant. Mostly I tell patients who have disc problems that we need to give it 3 to 4 treatments and if after that time there is little improvement then we will refer for an MRI scan to see the extent of the problem.

 

Another example was a patient who had an ultrasound scan of the shoulder and the report diagnosed subacromial bursitis. She was referred to me for an ultrasound guided injection but when I examined her I thought it was frozen shoulder and so after I injected the shoulder she felt some relief instantly.

Now had I gone with what the ultrasound report and the scan at our clinic had shown the patient would have not been injected in the appropriate area of the shoulder and so would not have benefited from the injection.

What I am basically saying is that both the clinical examination and diagnostic scans are important in their own right because at the end of the day the outcome is to improve the wellbeing of the patient.

So if you have any issues you know that we are able to offer diagnostic ultrasound at Joy lane Clinic.

Please call 01227 266349 for more information or email info@joylaneclinic.co.uk