Archives: FAQs
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My scan was done somewhere with a general radiologist. Will a sub-specialty review really add much?
A second opinion from a sub-specialty reviewer often adds value in three specific ways — structured application of staging and post-treatment frameworks (TNM, NI-RADS) that may not have been applied explicitly, focused attention on features that are clinically important but easy to underreport (perineural spread, subtle nodal change, deep extension), and structured comparison with prior…
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My follow-up scan after cancer treatment says “no evidence of recurrence.” Do I need a second opinion?
Post-treatment scans are among the most common reasons patients and oncology teams seek an independent review. Even when the primary report is reassuring, a structured NI-RADS-scored read gives the oncology team an explicit framework score rather than a narrative impression, which can be particularly useful when comparing across visits or when a finding is borderline.…
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My scan was done for back pain. Can a second opinion pick up a tethered cord?
Incidental findings on lumbar MRIs done for back pain are a common reason for a second opinion. Our Clinical Lead reviews the scan specifically for developmental findings — conus medullaris level, filum terminale features, signs of dysraphism — and provides structured assessment framed for the neurology or neurosurgery consultation. Whether any finding is clinically significant…
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I’ve been told I have a Chiari malformation. Do I actually need surgery?
The decision whether Chiari malformation needs surgery belongs with a neurosurgeon who knows your full clinical picture, not with a radiology report. What a second-opinion radiology report can do is give your neurosurgeon precise measurements and a structured description of the imaging features — tonsillar descent in millimetres, syrinx status, surrounding anatomy — that inform…
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Can a second opinion change a dementia diagnosis?
A second-opinion radiology report is an additional input into the workup, not a diagnosis in itself. Our Clinical Lead applies MTA, GCA, Koedam, and Fazekas visual rating scales to the brain MRI and provides an independent structured opinion on the pattern of atrophy and the vascular picture. The diagnosis rests with the treating physician or…
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Can I share this report with my neurologist?
Yes — the report is intended to be shared with your neurologist. It is structured for peer-to-peer clinical use, with specific framework citations (McDonald, MAGNIMS) and cross-referenceable findings, alongside a plain-language summary for patients. The radiology report is personally signed by our Clinical Lead under her full name and credentials, as any hospital-generated radiology report…
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Can a second opinion change my MS diagnosis?
A second-opinion radiology report is an additional informational input, not a diagnostic decision in itself. Our Clinical Lead applies McDonald criteria and MAGNIMS protocols to your brain and spinal MRI and provides an independent structured opinion on lesion distribution, activity, and differential considerations. The final diagnostic decision, including any revision to an MS diagnosis, rests…
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How do I know my imaging is suitable for review?
Our Clinical Lead reviews MRI and CT imaging of the brain, spine, and skull base relevant to neuro-oncology. If imaging quality or protocol limitations affect the interpretation, the report will say so directly. For questions about suitability before you submit, contact us with a brief description of your imaging and the clinical question.
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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.
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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…