How We Monitor Progress: Xrays

Transcript

Hi, I’m Dr. Branyon with New Hope Unlimited. If you’re traveling with me right now, we are on our way to Arizona. I’m in the windshield office, which is also called the car. But I call it my windshield office because I spend so much time in the car. And sometimes I like to get a little work done. And sometimes I like to just zone out. But today, I wanted to try to do some videos, and once again I’m not sure about the lighting and I’m not sure how it’s gonna work but I’m gonna give it a try anyway.

So, I wanted to talk about x-rays. In the last video, we talked about how patients come and they wanna know how we’re gonna do or monitor the progress. Well,  I’ve mentioned that we do like blood work and x-rays. So many times, when I mention to them that we will be doing x-rays, well, there’ll be times that we will need to because that’s how we know really some of what’s going on. Especially if there’s pain or monitoring the treatment. And so many times people will say, “Oh, but I don’t want the radiation. I don’t want the radiation”. Well hey, I agree with them. I don’t want the radiation either.

And sometimes though you have to kinda weigh it out.

What’s the best and what’s not the best ways of treating. Now, if someone just wants an x-ray every month or whatever, absolutely I would say no. Just like going through the x-ray machines at the airport. If you travel a lot, I would step out, ask for a pat-down. I would not want that much x-ray radiation. They say that it’s not enough to hurt you. But if you think about it, if you go back through and through and through many times, it does mount up.

But anyway, I will tell you. I do not like the radiation either. I don’t care what they say about, “Oh you’re not gonna get it, but it is radiation and yes we do”. However, there is times that we do need to do x-rays, whether it be an ultrasound, a CT scan. There are CT scans with and without contrast. There’s the MRIs, and there’s the pet scans.

Yes, all do have a little radiation on some more than others. But when it comes to trying to save your life, you do have to weigh it out. A little bit of x-ray and/or guesswork. And we are against guesswork. So sometimes an x-ray is not such a bad idea. And then you do your best to detox it out the best you can. So I know it sounds like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth, so let me in conclusion say, I don’t like radiation. I don’t like x-rays.

But on the other hand, when you’ve got a disease that your life depends on, knowing what is going on, sometimes it is absolutely best to get that x-ray or x-rays to see what treatment needs to be changed. Are you in full remission? Do you have something that is causing pain?

There’s so many reasons why an x-ray can be good. When I talk about an x-ray, I’m clumping in CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, whatever your doctor may feel is the best. Sometimes you just can’t play with life, but you have to weigh it out. What is worse? Letting something get out of hand? Or using an x-ray to see what’s going on? Now I am against the x-rays being too much. In other words, too often.

But it is good to know rather than guesswork. I hope I haven’t confused you. But yes we do x-rays when needed. Only when needed. So I’m going to talk about tumor markers and how those work in the next video. Thanks for traveling with me.