What is a second opinion and when should I seek one?

Once you have had an imaging examination like an MRI, CT, X-Ray, or similar, you or your doctor will usually receive a report from a radiologist that has reviewed that image. A second opinion is when an additional subspecialty radiologist provides a second interpretation or review of the images, or if the images have never been reviewed, the first review.

Oftentimes patients face a challenging or difficult diagnosis or treatment, and may want to double check the results before undergoing significant treatment. Moreover, sometimes radiologists over- or under-diagnose or even misdiagnose the findings in your images, especially when specialty radiologists have not had the chance to review the exams. The revision rate is substantive and can range anywhere from 8 percent to 30 percent.

A second opinion can provide a different perspective on your images or confirm the original opinion provided by your first radiologist is correct, both of which are valuable when your health is at stake.