QTC exam missing images

[Marc D]

So I just had an appointment for some orthopedic stuff (shoulders/Knee/back) and had mailed in the MRI/X-ray imagine disk prior to this sometime last month. I confirmed with VA they received it and it was uploaded. 

During the exam I was told my x-rays/MRIs were not uploaded in their system. Sooooo….what happens now? They still did the exam, but only had paper records that I uploaded when I stated the claim. 

[Rattler]

So wait and see what the decision is you may be worried about nothing. Some of the time there is enough in your file to make a decision with out the x-rays. The first MH C & P exam I did I don't think the Doc ever looked at any my medical records. 

[broncovet]

Generally, Xrays are interpreted by Radiologists, not  C and P examiners anyway.  The image is less of use to the examiner than the 

Radiologist report.  ONE reason this is done, is because the Radioligist specialized training gives him the authority AND the responsibility to interpret xrays.  

About 40 years ago, after a motor cycle accident, a doctor had an xray taken, and "missed" a navicular fracture.  This meant I had to have a bone graft about a year or so later.  While I did not sue the doctor, my guess is this is not the only time this kind of thing has ever happened.  Thus, while a doctor may "look at" an xray, the official interpretation is almost always left to a radiologist, in no small part because regular doctors dont want to be liable for a mistake misreading an xray that could harm a patient.  It takes many years of specialized training to become a radiologist to be qualified to interpret xrays.  At my VA, doctors dont do that, the radiologist "reads" the xray, and sends his report to the doctor, not the xray.  

Doctors, also, generally dont perform lab tests either.  Those are left to specialists who are trained in performance of those tests, with specialized modern equipment.  The doctor gets the report from the lab, he does not want to see any slides of bacteria or anything like that, except in unusual circumstances.  

Its not suprising your c and p examiner was uninterested in the xray.  He may have been more interested in a radiologist report of the xray.  This is just my unsubstantiated lay opinion, not medical or legal advice.  

My advice is to get a copy of the c and p examiner report, if possible.  You can usually tell if the exam is "favorable or not".  If the examiner says stuff like, "in his opinion the Veteran's xxx diagnosis is at least as likely as not due to an event in service" then its a favorable opinion.  

If you are talking x rays, then you may have already "passed" SC, and are looking to document symptoms for a disability percentage.  Its true that a disability which shows on an xray has some serious credibility..more than "just" the Veteran's "complaint" of pain without confirmation of an xray.  

Remember, too, the rating specialist "almost certainly" is also not a radiologist either, and is also not competent to interpret YOUR xray to mean you have xyz condition shown on xray.  No.  Instead, he/she will rely upon the c and p examiner interpretation of the radiolgist report..because the radiolgist report may well be written in language which is not understandable to lay persons (raters) or patients.  Indeed, its the doctors job to read the radiologist report and determine a diagnosis, as well as a treatment plan if applicable.  

Edited February 28 by broncovet

[Lemuel]

Often radiologist reports are incomplete and incorrect.  I have Xray results that say WNL when they mean, no change.  Very misleading.  MRI report does not report the "left lateral blowout of the spinal disc) only the disc on the sciatic neural foramina.  The directions of the blowout connects to the T-bone MVA.  So BVA judge had to rely on my medical background to remand the decision to AOJ.  Still the AOJ ignored the remand for the lower back.  Accepted the remand for the cervical neck and granted SC.  Lower back is secondarily connected through the T-bone MVA caused by an absence seizure confirmed in the record.  But because a physician put notes on another patient in my file that dated his injury earlier than my T-bone MVA, I still have not been granted SC for lumbar spinal disc disease.

The films are important.  Even a laymen can understand the pressure on the disc causing a directional blowout like popping edamame.