Posted on Aug 28, 2019
From evaluating abnormal growths and detecting disease to staging cancer and determining response to treatment, radiographic imaging is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools. But interpreting scans can be difficult, especially for complex parts of the body, like the chest, head, and neck. A second opinion can help prevent diagnostic errors, reduce your risk of a missed diagnosis, prevent unnecessary medical expenses, and empower you with confidence and peace of mind.
Here are 5 signs you should get a second opinion.
Surgery for a torn ACL, biopsy for prostate cancer screening, chemotherapy to shrink a tumor - medical treatment can be risky, invasive, expensive, and even toxic. While such procedures and medications can certainly be beneficial under the right circumstances - they can harm the body when they aren’t actually needed.
A second opinion can help confirm you’ve chosen the best option, or prevent you from undergoing unnecessary treatment. It may also introduce you to other treatment options you weren’t aware of.
Complex injuries, rare diseases, and early stage cancers that are small in size can all be very difficult to catch. But for many of these conditions, early detection is key to successful treatment. A second set of eyes from a radiologist who specializes in the particular area being examined can help prevent the risk of a missed diagnosis.
If your symptoms continue to be an issue post treatment, there could be a chance that you were initially misdiagnosed. Having your scans re-reviewed by a subspecialist can help determine if there was a diagnostic error in the first read.
If the initial diagnosis was correct, a second opinion may offer an opportunity to learn about other treatment options. The medicine is constantly evolving and specialists are frequently learning about new and different methods.
Each year, over 12 million American adults who seek outpatient medical care are misdiagnosed.
Peace of mind can relieve anxiety and stress. Even if your only reason for seeking a second opinion is to confirm your diagnosis, it can be extremely valuable. Stress can exacerbate symptoms, which can potentially interfere with certain types of treatment. You may also end up learning more about your condition in the process.
Many tumors that develop in the body are benign and harmless. Others are life-threatening. But in certain parts of the body, such as the brain and the abdomen, lesions and growths can look very similar to one another.
Getting a second opinion from a radiologist with extensive experience diagnosing lesions in the particular part of the body being examined can help ensure the growth has been accurately identified. If a lesion was inaccurately diagnosed as benign, a second interpretation could catch a missed diagnosis. And, in the reverse, it could prevent a false positive.
Fortunately, getting a second opinion can be quick, easy, and affordable.
DocPanel provides full second opinion coverage for all radiographic imaging tests, including x-rays, CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds, mammograms, and PET scans. For only $199, you can have your scans interpreted by the nation’s top subspecialty radiologists. Depending on the particular medical condition, each case is assigned to a radiologist with specialization in the specific area.
In a simple three-step process, you’ll upload your scans via a secure online portal. In as little as 24 - 72 hours, you will receive your second opinion results. DocPanel’s team of radiologists are some of the world’s most sought after experts. By connecting with these experts, patients are able to receive the highest level of care, without the associated costs.
