Complimentary Imaging Review

You have the scan. Now you need a straight answer.

A herniated disc on a report does not tell you whether you need surgery, physical therapy, an injection, or nothing at all. Send us your MRI and we will read it, call you, and tell you plainly what we see and what we would do next.

5
Rhode Island offices, so a follow-up visit is close to home
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Providers across spine, brain and nerve conditions
6%
Fewer than 6 in 100 of the patients we see end up needing surgery
01

You have heard four different answers

Physical therapist, pain specialist, chiropractor, primary care. All well-meaning, all saying something slightly different. A neurosurgical read gives you one clear reference point.

02

Reports are written for doctors

Radiology language is precise and almost unreadable if you do not work in medicine. We translate the findings that matter and skip the ones that do not.

03

Surgery was suggested and you want a second read

A recommendation for surgery deserves a second set of eyes. Getting one is routine, expected, and does not offend anybody.

04

You are stuck and want a direction

Months of pain with no plan is its own problem. Even when the answer is not surgery, knowing the next step is worth the call.

What an imaging review is, and what it is not

We would rather set this straight up front than have you expect something we cannot responsibly give you over the phone.

What you get

  • A neurosurgical read of your images and your radiology report
  • Plain-language translation of the findings that are clinically meaningful
  • An honest answer on whether the findings explain your symptoms
  • A recommended next step, which is usually not surgery
  • A consultation appointment if one is warranted

What it is not

  • A diagnosis. Diagnosis requires an exam, your history, and time with a provider
  • A treatment plan. That comes out of a consultation, not a scan
  • A surgical decision, in either direction
  • A replacement for the care team you already have
  • Emergency care. If you have sudden weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or severe unrelenting pain, go to an emergency department now

Four steps, and no waiting room to get started

Nothing here obligates you to become a patient. If the answer is that you do not need us, that is the answer you get.

STEP 01

You send the form

Your name, ZIP code, phone number and email.

STEP 02

We call you

We confirm where your imaging was done and request the study and report directly from the facility, or walk you through getting a copy on disc or by portal.

STEP 03

We review the study

Your images and report are reviewed by our clinical team, then someone calls you back to walk through what we found.

STEP 04

You decide what is next

If a consultation makes sense, we book one, often same day. If it does not, we tell you that and point you somewhere useful.

What we are actually looking for

An MRI shows a great deal. Only some of it matters. The job of the review is to separate the two.

01

Whether the finding matches the symptom

This is the single most important question and the one most often skipped. A bulging disc at L4 to L5 does not explain pain running down the outside of your calf if the nerve involved lives somewhere else. Findings that do not fit the story usually are not the cause of the problem.

Why it matters Treating the wrong level does not help
First question
02

Whether anything is compressing a nerve or the cord

Nerve root compression and spinal cord compression are different problems with different urgency. Cord compression in the neck, called myelopathy, changes the timeline of the conversation considerably. This is the finding we most want to catch early.

Why it matters Changes how urgent the next step is
Urgency
03

Whether the finding is just normal aging

Disc degeneration, disc bulges and other changes show up routinely on the scans of people who have no back pain at all, and they get more common with every decade of life. A frightening-sounding report is often describing a spine that looks like everyone else’s. We will tell you when that is the case.

Why it matters Prevents treatment you do not need
Common
04

Whether something was missed or under-described

Radiologists read across every body region. A neurosurgeon reads spine and brain imaging all day, with the surgical question in mind. That difference in focus occasionally surfaces something worth a closer look, and occasionally rules out something that was worrying you.

Why it matters A second read is a different read
Second read

I had shooting pains in my back 24/7 and since the surgery I have not had any pain. Dr. Das and everyone that works with him were wonderful and professional.

BSNI patient, Rhode Island

Individual results vary. One patient’s outcome does not predict another’s.

If a visit makes sense, it is close by

Five offices across Rhode Island. Same-day appointments are available.

Headquarters

Johnston

1526 Atwood Avenue, Suite 200
Johnston, RI 02919 Office details ›

Cumberland

Cumberland, Rhode Island Office details ›

East Providence

East Providence, Rhode Island Office details ›

North Kingstown

North Kingstown, Rhode Island Office details ›

Middletown

Middletown, Rhode Island Office details ›

Before you send your scan

Is the imaging review really at no cost?

Yes. Reviewing your images and calling you with what we found is free and does not require insurance. If the review leads to a consultation or treatment, that is a normal medical visit and is billed to your insurance in the usual way.

Who actually looks at my images?

Your study is reviewed by our clinical team before anyone calls you back.

How long does it take?

We reach out shortly after you submit the form to arrange access to your images. Turnaround on the review itself depends on how quickly the imaging facility releases the study.

Do I need a referral from my doctor?

Not for the imaging review. Some insurance plans require a referral before a specialist office visit, so if the review leads to a consultation we will help you sort that out.

What if I do not have a copy of my images?

Most people do not. Tell us where the scan was done and when, and we will request the study and the report from the facility with your authorization. You do not need to track down a disc yourself.

Does this mean you are going to recommend surgery?

Usually not. Fewer than 6 in 100 of the patients we see end up needing surgery. Most spine problems improve with time, physical therapy, medication, or an injection. A neurosurgical opinion is as useful for ruling surgery out as for ruling it in.

Can you review a CT scan or X-ray instead?

Send the form and tell us what imaging you have. MRI gives the most information about discs, nerves and the spinal cord, but CT and X-ray are useful for bone and alignment questions.

My report mentions a herniated disc. Should I be worried?

Not on its own. Disc herniations and disc bulges turn up on imaging in people with no symptoms at all, and they become more common with age. What matters is whether the finding lines up with what you are actually feeling. That is exactly the question the review answers.

More on lumbar disc herniation

Stop guessing at your own scan.

Leave a phone number at the top of this page and we will take it from there. If you would rather just talk to a person, call us.

Call BSNI (401) 404-2975

What you need to have ready

Nothing, really. But these speed things up.

  • The name of the facility where your MRI was done
  • Roughly when the scan was taken
  • Your radiology report, if you were given one
  • A short description of what you are feeling and where

Medically reviewed by Sumit K. Das, MD, board-certified neurosurgeon

Sources

Brinjikji W, Luetmer PH, Comstock B, et al. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015;36(4):811-816.

Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(7):514-530.

This page is general education and is not medical advice. It does not create a physician-patient relationship. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.