Do I need a scan?

The main reasons physios need to order a scan are: 

-To exclude something serious (e.g. fractures or tumours) 

-If it will influence management (confirming a diagnosis, or evaluating the degree of damage) 

It is not good practice to scan “because we don’t know what the problem is”, or “because it’s not getting better”.  

If your recovery is not going as expected, we need to ask why that could be. Often a discussion can uncover reasons why things aren’t progressing. If there are still questions, then a referral to a specialist doctor is usually more beneficial than a scan.  

Examples: 

Excluding serious pathology like fractures and tumours that would require medical intervention. This provides peace of mind that there is nothing very serious, and physiotherapy can be continued. 

To confirm a suspected injury, e.g. ACL tear, syndesmosis tear. I.e. an ankle sprain with a syndesmosis injury, is managed differently to one without.   

To differentiate between a partial tear and a complete tear in cases where a complete tear requires surgery. E.g. in a 20yo sportsperson, a traumatic rotator cuff tear can require surgery for the best outcome. In a 70yo with a rotator cuff tear, often surgery is not recommended. In the first case, confirming the exact injury, and quantifying it is important. In the second case, a scan is probably not required if the injury is behaving as expected.  

If you are not sure whether you need a scan, speak with your physio and your GP. To book a free phone consult with a physio, click here.