Tell Me About IT!
I would call the doctor again and insist on speaking with him. To have to get another appointment is asinine!
My MO has a "special or certain" type of computor. You can not do it on a regular computor, or you must have a certain program. He said a name but I can not remember it but it is tied to the hospital and he can view the images from both of his offices.
Maybe the surgon has this option. Your posts do wonders for my cardiovascular system! Thank You!

Petey,

I know your up for surgery tommorrow. I've been praying for you brother. Give em hell buddy. Don't let my posts cause you any anxiety. My issue may be as simple as a miscommunication. I just want to know that a doctor has looked at the lump on that scan and has identified what it is composed of. He may have looked at it and already determined that it was bone.

Had my scan yestersday. No results for me until I see my oncoligist next Tuesday. It is not easy to wait.
Youngin, please see your Doctor and discuss your results.I do hope for your sake it is nothing, but you must check and be sure. If you do not have an ENT, ask to be sent to one along with your results. This stuff is not for GP's or their nurses...

I've found this thread interesting because things seem to be done so differently here! In January, having slight numbness of lower lip went to doc--'No idea, use mouthwash or see a dentist' Dentist appt 1 week later--good exam, suspected thinned jawbone, exposed nerve. had X-Ray, confirmed, letter sent to maxiofacial surgeon. Appointment for 19th April!! Twicew during those months, my jaw seemed to 'crack', swelling began and pain built up. Saw surgeon who said 'oops, probably IS cancer, sent me for immediate chest X-Ray and marked MRI scan form 'urgent'--said it would be done and I'd be back in clinic within a week--after a week I phoned and was told appt. was earliest available at May 15th! Hospital rang me today to say appt probably next week--guess now they're REALLY telling me something!

I hate to break it to you guys but the definitive source for CT readings is the radiologist - not the refering physician. In fact, refering physicians rarely even get the full resolution scans. You can have your oral surgeon look at scans but that's why they pay reading radiologists the big bucks. It is a specialty after all. Typically it's the MO who will order them and give you a summary of the reading. You may be refered to an ENT or head & neck surgeon for "direct visualization" if they don't like what they see or have "regions of interest". Most of us have had false positives in early post Tx scans so don't let that get to you.

Also bear in mind that any scan is only a small component of the total diagnostic package and in themselves are typically not definitive.

I found out that Gary's right. After meeting with my Dr. on Friday it was obvious that he'd never even seen the scans. So I guess one must trust that the radiologist knows what he or she are looking at. In my case the radiologist noted that a node was on the upper end of normal size and that was it. I ask my Dr as to what should be my next steps. He said to go home and relax, which is exactly what I'm going to try to do.