FAQ Category: Neuro-Oncology
-
Is a formal doctor’s referral required?
No. Patients can request a neuro-oncology second opinion directly, without a referral from their treating physician. We do recommend that you share the report with your treating team afterwards, because the report is designed to support your clinical discussion rather than to stand alone.
-
Will the medical language be too difficult to understand?
The report is layered for two audiences: a sub-specialty radiology section written for your treating physician, and a plain-language summary section written for you. Clinical terminology is used where accuracy requires it, but the patient summary makes the key points accessible. If any part of the report raises questions, those are exactly the questions to…
-
What if the report raises findings my treating team hasn’t discussed with me?
If the report surfaces imaging considerations that differ from or add to your treating team’s interpretation, the appropriate next step is to share the report with them and ask for a discussion. A second opinion is a discussion point, not a diagnostic endpoint, and your treating team is best placed to integrate any new imaging…
-
Can I share this report with my oncologist and MDT?
Yes. The report is written as a peer-to-peer document for your treating team as well as a patient-accessible document for you. Many patients share the report with their oncologist ahead of the next multidisciplinary team discussion, and the structured format is designed to support that conversation.
-
What is inside my neuro-oncology report?
The report includes a clinical context summary, a structured findings section, an impression framed as discussion points, and recommendations for questions to raise with your treating physician. Where applicable, the report cites specific frameworks such as RANO criteria and explains their application to your case. A plain-language summary section is included for patient understanding. We…
-
Can you compare my new scan with my previous imaging?
Yes, and we strongly encourage it. Serial comparison is central to neuro-oncology imaging, and a single scan reviewed in isolation is rarely as informative as the same scan read against prior studies. You add any prior imaging once you have uploaded your case.
-
What if I’m mid-treatment — is my case suitable for review?
Mid-treatment cases are among the situations where sub-specialty review is most useful, because response assessment is where framework discipline matters most. We review imaging from any point in the treatment course, with attention to the timing of imaging relative to chemoradiation, targeted therapy, or stereotactic radiosurgery. Share the report with your treating team before any…
-
Can you apply RANO criteria to my follow-up scans?
Yes. For patients in follow-up after treatment for glioma or brain metastases, our Clinical Lead can apply RANO criteria to assess response where the imaging protocol and comparison studies support it. The assessment is framed as an independent sub-specialty interpretation intended to complement your oncology team’s review, not to replace it. We recommend sharing the…
-
Can a neuro-oncology second opinion change my treatment path?
A second opinion does not make treatment decisions, but it may clarify the imaging findings that inform them. The report provides an independent sub-specialty interpretation, with framework-based response assessment where applicable, which may surface considerations your treating team will want to weigh. Any treatment decisions remain with you and your treating physician, informed by the…