Do I need an X-ray?

I have a wonky knee and went to the doctor.
She said she would book me an X-ray and ultrasound.
The X-ray is a walk in and the ultra sound I now have an appointment for.
I’m very time poor at the moment ,do I need the X-ray , will the it show anything that the U.S won’t?
She seemed to imply that they would look at the X-ray then see if I needed the US.

I think they go for the cheapest option first.

The missus had an xray on her knee and has now been referred for a scan. They wouldn’t go straight to scan.

I’ve been through this recently.

If it’s cartilage-related an x-ray will not show anything. However, due to the vagaries of the NHS system you cannot get a GP-referred scan unless you have an x-ray first. It’s a stupid way of doing things but the GP’s hands are tied.

I’m very time poor at the moment ,do I need the X-ray , will the it show anything that the U.S won’t?

is your time more important than your health ?

Are you wanting to take advise off internet randoms or a qualified person who has given you advice?

I think an orthopaedic surgeon may just disagree with the 2 above posts

Are you wanting to take advise off internet randoms or a qualified person who has given you advice?

STW medical advice > actual doctor advice. Facts

Even the rather spartan info in the OP contradicts the above 2 posts!

,do I need the X-ray

Your doctor says you do. You could get second opinions from internet randos and then take the advice you prefer. Or just don’t do it if you don’t want to, you’re the one who will suffer if you make a bad choice.

Depends what wonky means and what caused it.  X-rays and ultrasound show different things (of course) and I can see both as being very useful.  I would absolutely have both (ianad but I did design both ultrasound and x-ray machines in an earlier life)

If it’s cartilage-related an x-ray will not show anything.

Mine did – not the cartilage itself particularly but it showed that the cartilage had really narrowed and i had a very small joint space between top and bottom halves and arthritis in the surfaces.

I suspect an MRI would have also shown it but MRIs cost a lot and x-rays are fast and cheap so it’s more as a screening tool than a diagnostic one now – I assume some people get x-rayed and are not bad enough to need further evaluation.

I have a torn ACL. If I don’t have to have a needless procedure I’d like to save the NHS the trouble of doing it.

I have a torn ACL.

I would hazard a guess that both will allow the consultant to plan a more effective repair plan than relying on just one view. This will probably mean that your valuable time out of circulation will be much reduced.

Hmmm, Time Vs having a functional knee. I know what I would choose.

I would absolutely have the x-ray, regardless. Sounds like your medical team are actually advocating for your well-being and treatment.

For context it’s cost me thousands (private scans and appt) and over a year of my life to get in front of a (relevant) consultant that I’ve navigated back into the NHS to see (now I have evidence, etc..).

What did you GP say?

Well this is something which you don’t often hear…….. someone is in pickle because the NHS wants to dedicate more resources to them than they have time for.

This will probably mean that your valuable time out of circulation will be much reduced.

Sorry if visiting my terminally ill mum upsets so many people.

^ Sorry to hear about your mum, and good luck with the knee whatever you choose to do.

Obviously you visiting your terminally ill mum isn’t upsetting anyone. You asked for advice concerning treatment for your knee and people have responded. If your mother’s health is an important factor you should have mentioned it.

Under those circumstances my advice would be to continue to see your mother exactly the same amount, and rearrange other things so that you have the time for your knee x-ray, even if it perhaps means having one hour’s less sleep one night.

Mum’s are totally unique and special, and nothing is quite the same after they have gone.

If it’s a walk in x-ray, they are pretty quick ! I assume you’ve got the ‘form’ from the GP.  I had one way back when Covid was starting – really poorly, struggling to breath, cough for six weeks etc (typical early covid signs) – doc referred me for a walk in x-ray to check there was no infection as such – literally took the form and was whizzed through the system.

X-rays can only pick out limited soft tissue issues, but it’s on the ‘path’ to a scan, which are more expensive. Cheap option first, then the scan. Unfortunately, these take time.

X-rays can only pick out limited soft tissue issues, but it’s on the ‘path’ to a scan, which are more expensive. Cheap option first, then the scan. Unfortunately, these take time.

Yep, had to wait weeks for a scan, after a pointless re-xray of my knee that’d already been done in France. But obviously, procedures and all that. In hindsight paying around £400 for an MRI would have been a good idea, but when SSP is less than a mortgage payment..

zippykonaFull Member
This will probably mean that your valuable time out of circulation will be much reduced.
Sorry if visiting my terminally ill mum upsets so many people.

So sorry to read this. Take care.

bunnyhop x

Yeh, it’s a diffucult situation…

Being purely objective, I think it’s a question of priorities… if your knee packs in then you’ll struggle to vistit your mum… or at least it could become more complicated.

So I’d follow the medical advice for scans, etc. You won’t be much help to her if you can’t walk, etc.

Op I doubt your Mum would want your health to suffer from prioritising her.

You will get an allocated time for your X-ray they tend to be quick and efficient

X-rays. Although they will not show any injury to your anterior cruciate ligament, X-rays can show whether the injury is associated with a broken bone. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. An MRI creates better images than X-rays of soft tissues like the anterior cruciate ligament.

Debatable to whether they should have actually referred straight to fracture clinic, but assume this isn’t an acute injury

Take both, make the time…if you don’t then it isn’t going to get fixed…

Haven’t read it all, but assuming that is what we are all suggesting.

X-rays are good for looking at bones. Ultrasound of the knee is good for looking at some of the tendons and ligaments.