MRI query

HI Hanlou100,

It is unfortunate that your father was not told why he was being asked for a further MRI scan. It is possible that it was felt that a different scan may be able to provide more detailed information on areas of cancer or suspicious areas. There are different types of MRI scanners some of which provide higher definition than others as does the 3 Tesla over the standard 1.5 machine for example and some hospitals have both. Then there is how the scans were sequenced which can make a difference, as my hospital consultant told me. A further difference is whether 'contrast' is injected during the scan to further aid definition. So it could be for one of these reasons why Dad asked to have a further MRI scan. Another reason why scans can be less clear is because the prostate has not sufficiently healed after biopsy before the scan was done - an argument for scanning before biopsy. We don't know the situation here.

If there is still concern I suggest he asks his consultant's secretary why a further scan is wanted. I would just add that MRI scans are expensive and would not be done unless thought to be helpful.