Do the results of your MRI (brain tumor vs. normal) determine how soon you hear back from your doctor?
A mass in the brain may be malignant or benign. If it’s malignant, it may be a cancer from elsewhere in the body that has spread to the brain.
Or…it can be a primary tumor — one that originated in the brain.
Symptoms include headaches that behave in a way that you’ve never experienced, vision or speech problems, weakness, paralysis, being off-balance, facial or eyelid drooping, hearing loss, issues with memory or thinking, nausea or vomiting.
“MRI’s are often used to diagnose brain tumors,” says Sumeer Sathi, MD, a neurosurgeon and founding member of Long Island Neuroscience Specialists who treats brain tumors
“An MRI technician is the person responsible for performing the MRI.
“The images will then be viewed by a special doctor called a radiologist. MRI’s are sometimes viewed by the ordering doctor first.
“MRI’s are completed and viewed at different times.
“MRI’s can be read as soon as possible (STAT) if the signs or symptoms are severe.
“It could be very nerve-wracking while awaiting results. It is hard for anyone to give false reassurance while awaiting results. We do our very best to help expedite completing MRI’s and their results.”
Waiting for the MRI results can be outright agonizing.
But if it shows a brain tumor, is the patient given this result sooner than if it were normal?
Dr. Sathi says, “Yes. Typically you will get a call ASAP.”
Nevertheless, a phone call soon after your MRI doesn’t always mean a brain tumor, either.
Dr. Sathi explains, “We would typically have the patient be seen sooner if we feel the brain tumor is more dangerous.
“However, we would still reach out to patients who may be very anxious for their results, even if the MRI shows no brain tumor.”
Dr. Sathi’s expertise includes spine surgery and treating brain tumors including metastasis, gliomas, meningiomas and acoustic neuromas using gamma knife radiosurgery. Long Island Neuroscience Specialists is a multidisciplinary group of neuro-spine surgeons and an interventional pain management anesthesiologist.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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