I just had a 6 month follow up with an angiogram at the hospital. I am confused about different types of angiograms. It seems like there are CT angiograms, DSA and fluoroscopy etc. I am confused as to what I had. I had dye through a catheter in my groin. When I asked the nurse in the room what kind of angiogram it is she said fluoroscopy. I’m not sure if that is also DSA or something different. I am curious about the amount of radiation you are exposed to too.
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First, let’s take an internet search of the imaging questions -
Angiography – Undergraduate Diagnostic Imaging Fundamentals.
It can be confusing especially when one article says the DSA is used with a vein and another says artery. With the last article, it seems all are a type of fluoroscopy. My guess is that fluoroscopy is an umbrella term for the different types of images. My doctor just calls what I have gotten a cerebral angiogram.
I have never been able to determine how much radiation I’ve received since I ruptured given all the CTs and angiograms I’ve had. The only information I can find is that hospitals are supposed to use the lowest dose that will work for what the doctor wants to see. I remember after my second angiogram, the one after I ruptured, there was a push to regulate the amount across the USA which basically tells me nothing. Doctors always say we have to look at benefits vs risks. I get that, but it still doesn’t answer the question of how much I’ve received. My NeuroPsychologist said early on, I’d had enough to light up the county when I asked him. I’ve been exposed to a lot more since then. I wish patients were able to wear the radiation exposure button too. I’d also like to see it on my results accessible through my portal. You should have heard me go off at the new dentist we have who took over the office when my favorite dentist retired. They said I was getting an X-ray, but it was a CT machine. The dentist assured me it uses the lowest dose it can. But he couldn’t answer how much, so I went off on him. The CT machine said it was done and I could open my eyes - just to receive a blinding light that set off my photophobia and affected my words and tremor. They now use a handheld X-ray machine on me. BH had to explain that it was the light that set me off.
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Thank you for all this information! I found on my patient portal that for my first procedure my “floro time” exposure was one hour. For my follow up angiogram was 11 minutes but they don’t list the radiation exposure. The fact that it is so secretive is a little ridiculous. I know the whole speech about levels of risk from the doctors and dentists but like you why can’t they be more transparent about the total amount of exposure you are receiving. I am always arguing with my dentist when they want to do so much digital and CT cone X-rays when I have already had so much exposure. I also ask my regular doctors and orthopedic doctors if we can try other diagnostic approaches before we jump to more X-rays.
Thanks again for the information you gathered and your personal experiences you shared!
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I don’t get the amount of floro time on my portal, not even the length of time, for my angiograms. Some have been pretty fast comparatively to others. From ICU to a few years out, the amount of radiation I’ve been exposed to is the only thing I’m really concerned about. So much so, I argued with the PCP about mammograms she wants me to have. I finally told her I don’t really care what the giver says I should have, they don’t look at me and the amount I’ve been exposed to do they? I did the only thing I could think of to try to get medical facilities and doctors to release that information by contacting this organization Home page | United States Preventive Services Taskforce. The only thing else I can think of is to contact the Chief Medical Officer of each hospital I’ve had images of any kind that uses X-rays and ask them how I can find the levels of radiation I’ve been exposed to over the decades. Any suggestions on who else to contact would be great!
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Maybe contact the Radiology department directly. They should have a detailed report of all your exams. I have asked my neurosurgeon for more information since “floro time doesn’t tell me a lot. I’ll see how he responds.
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Excellent advice to check with Radiology. I had to go to my hospital’s Radiology unit to get a much more detailed transcribed report about the endovascular procedure (stent-assisted coiling) that I underwent. The report that was filed under their Surgery unit was significantly less detailed.
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@joycelee and @Peter great advice! I did try to get more detailed information from the Radiologists that my local hospital uses, but all I received was what I can access on my portal. I did learn that Anesthesiology at the big hospital I go to for my Neurosurgeon keeps their own records that are not accessible without a request. I cannot begin to tell you how livid that makes me, especially when someone assumes and their assumptions almost kill you. When I read in my portal for my last angiogram that the someone was claimed to have been a very experienced person in their field, I sent a message back to my Neurosurgeon literally saying “I call bullshit on that” detailing why it was the biggest line of bull I have ever read. I also asked why my notes don’t reflect exactly what happened other than the hospital trying to cover its own arse. I was pretty mad about it. I would like to have what some members have on their portals and that’s full disclosure from every field that works on us.
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I do have a lot of detailed procedural
notes from my surgeon in the portal including the “floro time” but that doesn’t explain to me how much actual radiation I received. I guess I’ll
try a few more phone calls. It shouldn’t be so hard.
I also find that after many requests and six months’ time I can’t get them to send copies of imaging that I can keep on file for when I move.
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For your images are you working directly with the medical records department? I’ve dealt with that department specifically in several different medical institutions and they always get me whatever I request. So sorry you’re having difficulties.
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Yes, I reached out directly to the Medical records dept. I sent a letter to request copies so maybe a phone call will be better. Thanks for your response!
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I find personally appearing at a hospital’s medical records department to be the quickest and easiest way to acquire the reports that I am seeking. They tend to take care of you right away, because you’re sitting there and visually reminding them of your service needs. That’s not always the case when they receive a letter or email or phone call from me. And on one occasion, I had to inform them that the report they handed me was not the one that I requested.
I am most satisfied in receiving the reports (and images) that I want when I personally appear at a hospital’s medical records unit. This is also the case when I want reports and images of the CtScans and MRIs that I participated in; I’ll go to the private radiology company’s medical records office for the same purpose. I find that it simplifies things, and I enjoy when things are simplified.
Thanks Peter. I agree that would be simpler except I live in NV and the hospital is in CA. I’ll have to try calling next and hope for better results.
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At the hospital I went to there is a different department for images and records, in fact both of the hospitals are this way. At my local hospital, I just had to go to Radiology and get a copy. At the hospital that my Neurosurgeon works at, I contact the Medical Imaging Department. A very kind lady told me this at the teaching hospital. Perhaps the hospital you went to in Cali has the same type of system.
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Thank you. I will check!
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