To x-ray or not to x-ray

[Heathmoose]

I had my surgery over a year ago in April. The last time I saw my surgeon was in January and he said it looked like I was about 90% fused. He then said I should see him again in 6 months (which is this July).
I have an appointment for this July and they are planning on doing x-rays (again!). When I last saw my surgeon, I asked about planning a future pregnancy and he mentioned that if I accidentally got pregnant it would not be dangerous. I am thinking about refusing the x-rays at my next visit just because I am concerned about all the radiation.
I saw an article in the Spinal Connection about radiation exposure and breast cancer in scoliosis patients. While I was in the hospital they did chest x-rays almost every day to check my lungs, plus all the other spinal x-rays before surgery and right after surgery. I am surprised I don't glow in the dark.

If my surgeon thought I was 90% fused 6 months ago, is it worth more radiation exposure to know that I'm 100% fused?

[LindaRacine]

Hi Heather...

I'll be curious of whether Dr. Boachie insists on more x-rays. I think it's usually the patient who wants to see the x-rays to verify that nothing has gone wrong. :-) If you're without major pain, I think it's wise to at least try to refuse x-rays.

Regards,
Linda

[mamakay]

I am confused on the fusion being confirmed by an xray.
I read earlier about what a tomogram(?) was from Linda's link.(sorry can't remember the thread.)
Anyway I was told by my dtr's Dr that you can't tell if the fusion has actually happened even w/an xray.
So I am going to quiz him about the tomogram when we go to see him next week.
I was under the impression that if the rods don't break your fusion has been sucessful?!!
Do Dr's disagree on ways of determining fusion?

[LindaRacine]

Mamakay...

A good doctor should not request a tomogram (unless there's an area of specific pain), as the patient is it exposes the patient to a large amount of radiation. Fusion can often be seen on regular x-ray films, depending on the quality.

My understanding is that you can have an area of non-fusion without breaking a rod.

Regards,
Linda

[Mary Lou]

Heather,

You as a patient has every right to refuse and x-ray, but be prepared for some shocked looks by the hospital staff. Before we found a doctor to do Jamie's surgery, we saw several doctors until we found just the right one. It just worked out that she saw one doctor who took x-rays (she hadn't had an in a few months) and then was seen by another doctor, same hospital, three weeks later and they wanted new x-rays. I told them no. The nurse just looked at me and said no one has ever refused x-rays before and that she had to go ask if that's allowed. I politely told her I'm her mother and I have every right to refuse anything I wanted to refuse. She was shocked to say the least! She didn't have x-rays that day.

Mary Lou

P.S. We live in PA just about five miles from Three Mile Island nuclear power plant and we don't glow! This is even after living through the "accident" that happened in 1979.

[Karen Ocker]

X-rays

Heather:

The x-rays are to check the status of the fusion/hardware. Unless you have terrible pains and the last x-rays were OK I suspect Dr. Boachie will let it go especially if you want to get pregnant. Why don't you send him an e-mail and discuss it. He might just examine you in the office for the record.

I recently spoke to a radiologist at a diagnostic breast center about my lifetime exposure from scoliosis x-rays telling him about the statistics. He felt the risk of breast cancer was not significant with the modern x-ray techniques. However, I was x-rayed in the 1950s when things were less advanced. Can't change that now.

Karen