Fast Running Blog

As some of you know, I have been in the process of trying to figure out what is it exactly that is holding me back from being able to run faster. Right now my focus is on the pelvic structure. I've had some indications that something is not right in that area, and has been that way at least for the last 19 years. I have not had good luck with health professionals in the past trying to diagnose it and treat it. It costs way too much money to work with them because they are doing way too much guess work to be worth it. To make things worse, they always try to act like they know what they are doing, so it takes you a while to realize that they are just guessing. And it does not help that they do not see a 2:23 marathon as pathology. In their minds, deep down, they see a healthy human rather than a lame antelope. So I've decided I am going to try a new method.

Start with an X-ray of a potentially problematic area. Get a digital image. Post it. Listen to different opinions that come. Maybe hit one of those web expert sites where you pay $1 a minute or so for somebody to tell you what they think. This way I can get 10 different opinions for the cost of one, and hopefully will eventually hit the truth. Blog that, improve hopefully, then repeat.

So I proceeded with my plan. Stumbling block number one. Called a number of places, and they all want me to jump through a bunch of hoops, and charge me for each jump before I can get my hands on the digital X-ray image of my pelvis. I am not super-excited to pay $300 every time I want to see what is going on there. There sure has to be a simpler  and more cost-effective way to get it done. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Is a bone scan similar to a digital x-ray?  My only experience with either is the bone scan.  They injected a "dye."  Well I called it a dye, but the nurse said it was something else.  But as the machine scanned my body the computer screen showed a complete scan of my skeleton as it went along.  Both from the top and bottom.  I cannot remember if it included the sides or not.  Not sure if any of this helps, but it sure was cool to watch the screen as the scan progressed.

By digital X-ray I mean just taking a regular X-ray, but the end result being a digital image you can put on a computer rather than a film.

Once you have had an X-ray or any other kind of digital imaging and it is payed for it should belong to you and you should be able to get that image however you want it.  This has been my experience with my daughters x-rays.  I would just ask for a copy and they would give me one.  Down at UVRMC they have everything stored and I believe you can acess you pictures at any time.  I have done that once as well.  I just had to fill out a form, of course we had the x-rays taken their.  And to my understanding all x-rays know a days are digital.

I was also able to get the actual film with my X-rays - not digital, just old-fashioned film, but that was some years ago, maybe now it's more high-tech on a CD or something like that. Of course, you'll have to pay substantial amount to get it done, first to the doctor just so he can refer you for the x-rays, then to the x-ray facility and possibly to a radiologist who will do the reading. You may also have to come up with a plausible reason why you want it done (plausible from a doctor's standpoint), although he really shoudln't care as long as you're paying for it. But as Josse mentioned, it's one time expense. Once you have your film, you can do what you want with it. It would also not be easy to find someone to diagnose you by x-rays alone, without also examining you in person, but I guess it is worth a try, in case there is something obvious there.

Besides the fact that as an individual paying versus an insurance company I think you get charged a much higher rate.

So if you can get the insurance company to cover the initial visits and such then getting a copy of the x-rays after the fact should not be an issue. Use the medical system to try and look at your problem as a legitimate issue and when the doctor is done looking at the x-rays and giving you his opinion then you could just ask for a copy of the x-rays and then proceed as you wish. You do not have to continue with any treatment or anything at that point with the doctor this is your choice. But maybe you could at least get medical insurance to cover the initial diagnosis process.

I concur with what has been said about access to your film...once taken, you have full rights to access it and posess it (by law!).  My daugther had an radiology procedure done over a year ago and we STILL have the original film which we took to different doctors for review. 

Like Ted said, if you have insurance, you should be able to get them to pay for the procedure if you go to you family doc/general practitioner and indicate you are having hip issues and request an x-ray.  Then you can do what you want with your fime.

Sasha,  If you don't have insurance, you can try a chiropractor's office; they might take the x-ray for cheaper.  As far as having access to the digital image - we use some shareware image software here, I will find the link for you and post it.  It is really nice software for retrevial and storage of digital images, and you shouldn't have a problem interfacing with any radiologists software (since that is what they make it for).

With respect to getting someone to evaluate the image for free (or close to free), I am not sure you will find many "quality" people to do this.  Most radiologists are pretty well trained and owe lots of money ;-).  That said, it might be possible to find a training program (e.g., here at the U of Utah) in sports medicine or radiology, and find a student who would need some quick cash. 

Bonnie

Have you seen a sports medicine Dr.?  If you got to one I would make sure they have worked with runners before.  I would see Dr. Tronto.  When I have problems running, that is who I go to see.  He always take an x-rays to see if the bones are the problem. 

As for the topic of digital images goes, digital refers to the format the image is in and the equipment it was taken with.  You have the old film style, computerized and the latest in the last 5-10 year Digital.  If you get an x-ray I would ask for a copy of it on film as well as in CD form.  Most all big hospitals give you that option.  At the hospital I take x-rays at they give patients film or CD form.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've seen Dr. Toronto. Was not impressed with him. He might be good at treating injuries, but he did not seem to have in him what I need. I am yet to meet a specialist that is truly capable of thinking beyond "If you're not hurt, you do not have a problem".

As a radiologist, this is definately my area of expertise.

First, essentially all x-rays today are digital. If they are not, it is outdated equipment. Anyone will gove you a copy of your films on a disc, although it will likely end up at a sloghtly lower, but probably still acceptable resolution.

If anyone has a x-ray I am happy to give you a free interptetation, but unless you have a stress fracture (which are also hard to see) the answer is almost certain to be "normal". If someone has an anatomic asymetry/abnormality large enough to be seen on an x-ray it is sure to be painful, of cause an abnormal gait leading to some other injuty.

Sasha's idea of a $1 a minute consult would be nice, but you will never be able to get a doctor's opinion for $1 for a lot of reasons, I will not bother to expound.

If you have insurance, you can either get a freindly doctor to give you an order for on x-ray, or you can just claim that you have a lot of hip pain and you think that you might have a stress fracture. However, if you do take this route you are definately giving up your right to ever complain about the cost of health care or health isurance.

Finally, if you are ever in Chicago I could easily get you a free x-ray.