Private Ct Scans

[pdq1]

Why are many GPs opposed to scans where a patient has paid to do a whole body scan? Some of the scanners are high tech 64 slices.

[boxtops]

Are they? My OH had a private scan on his head before surgery, the consultant was very appreciative of the detail.

[sunny-dave]

The problem with the private 'whole body scan' of a currently healthy individual is that it tends to show up all sorts of stuff which is actually harmless, but worries the crap out of the patient.

They then go running to the NHS for reassurance - diverting scarce resources from the actually ill ...

[pdq1]

Yes but was he diagnosed first by the NHS consultant before having the scan which confirmed his diagnosis.

[sunny-dave]

That's different - I can't see any problem with using private scans to confirm an existing diagnosis.

[pdq1]

That doesn't ring true Sunny Dave. We are bombarded to take health checks for all sorts of illness including cancer by examing our stools etc. and report them.

[bednobs]

i don't really get what your question is. How many gp's does your husband have??

[bednobs]

also i don't really understand why have a scan if a diagnosis has already been made? Perhaps the GP didn't want your husband to waste his money having a scan for a pre-existing diagnosed condition, whereby it wont alter the treatment?

[sunny-dave]

The checks which the NHS promotes (including the 'poo sticks' for colon cancer) are well researched and targeted to identify specific problems in specific population groups. They are good value for money and good for public health in general.

The 'have a body scan' checks are aimed at making money for the operators - nothing more, nothing less. Yes they may find an occasional problem and even save the odd life here or there - but that is incidental to the main reason for their existence. It probably also has a net negative impact on the population as a whole, as the 'worried well' soak up even more NHS resources chasing imaginary problems flagged up by the scans.

[pdq1]

Do you realise how long the waiting list is for an NHS CT scan. MY wife was told if she wanted to have a CT scan she would have to go on a long waiting list and if she wanted it sooner would have to have an MRI scan which is far more time consuming, very claustrophobic and also noisy.

[pdq1]

Yes Sunny Dave but early diagnosis saves lives. MY sister had a colon scan and picked up cancer long before having any symptoms.

[sunny-dave]

You are confusing two different things here - GPs are (by and large) very hostile to the 'walk in' type of scans being sold to healthy people, for the reasons I have tried to give above.

A private diagnostic scan (provided it is appropriate) is perfectly acceptable to most medics - it takes the load off NHS resources.

Your original post didn't give enough details about the situation for anyone to determine which circumstances applied in your case.

[pdq1]

I wonder what happened to the idea of health MOTs

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/657799/Health-MoT-for-NHS-patients.html

How many of these were aimed at the worried well. Maybe the Tories thought it would involve too much work for GPs.

[237SJ]

Probably because if you have too many CT scans, you can really rack up your exposure to radiation. Many overseas hospitals (India etc) do really good medicals but the CT part of the medical is always optional for the radiation reasons. You should only have a CT if you have been diagnosed with something that warrents it.

[pdq1]

Yes 237SJ even the profession says scans shouldn't happen regularly. They do go on to say the radiation emitted by the latest scanner is equivalent to 3 years background radiation we all suffer in our daily lives They recommend a scan every 5 years or so.

[bednobs]

who recommends a scan every 5 years?

[237SJ]

America recommends a breast scan every other year and a pap smear once per year. I think that is something to do with insurance/litigation