Neuro imaging and stroke

[RainbowYoshi]

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So I was fortunate to be able to go to the AAN meeting, and they had a lecture about careers in neuro imaging. The speaker said a lot of neurologist struggle to be able to read scans compared to someone trained in neuroimaging. A big point he made was that anyone interested in vascular really should do an imaging fellowship as well, due to the advent of newer imaging modalities. I was wondering if there were any vascular specialists who would share their opinions on the usefulness of an imaging fellowship along with a stroke fellowship.

 

[Hank Rearden]

No, doing an imaging fellowship is an utter waste of time. After you've been practicing vascular neurology for a few years you will be able to read imaging studies better than most neuroradiologists you encounter. The reason is you have the benefit of clinical correlation. Yes, you will miss things in the eyes and the sinuses, but that's not really your focus.

A few years back there was a thread or two about doing an imaging fellowship so you could bill for imaging. I'm not sure if that's possible without going through a formal radiology residency, but that's the only reason I could see an imaging fellowship benefitting you.

 

[RainbowYoshi]

According to the speaker he does bill for imaging but he either had to get approval from the hospital or send the patient to a nearby private MRI and then read it himself. But he did say it significantly improves his income. He uses the the dent neurology institute in buffalo as his model of what he thinks neuroimaging trained neurologists can be. According to him you also dont need a fellowship to pass boards to read imaging but you will be significantly worse without the fellowship. He also mentioned that they are looking to try to create the option to have it as a remote fellowship so you can read the images online.

 

[Telamir]

No. That's a waste of time. Radiologists where you work will stonewall the crap out of you. He's having to circumvent by sending patients to other scanners so he can read it himself. That's just not gonna happen.

 

[cerebral edema]

According to the speaker he does bill for imaging but he either had to get approval from the hospital or send the patient to a nearby private MRI and then read it himself. But he did say it significantly improves his income. He uses the the dent neurology institute in buffalo as his model of what he thinks neuroimaging trained neurologists can be. According to him you also dont need a fellowship to pass boards to read imaging but you will be significantly worse without the fellowship. He also mentioned that they are looking to try to create the option to have it as a remote fellowship so you can read the images online.

Interesting. I would be on board for a remote fellowship.

 

[maxxor]

Interesting. I would be on board for a remote fellowship.

Are you on board for remote NP training programs?

How is this different?

 

[cerebral edema]

Are you on board for remote NP training programs?

How is this different?

Online NP programs already exist? This program may benefit me whereas NP programs don’t (as I’m not a nurse). I’m not expecting to take over the job of a radiologist but would certainly like to up my expertise in looking at images.

 

[IMGASMD]

Online NP programs already exist? This program may benefit me whereas NP programs don’t (as I’m not a nurse). I’m not expecting to take over the job of a radiologist but would certainly like to up my expertise in looking at images.

A lot of their classes are now online and not standardized.

I think it’s very different when you are doing for self enrichment and/or billing and/or taking the liability for it. I don’t have any horses in the race here and not sure where the line should be drawn.

 

[Neurologo]

If you spend enough time during residency next to experienced neurologists or neuro-radiologists going through each images of your patients and do some self-study, you should be able to read pretty confidently. I read all images myself without relying on radiologists' report and often have to call them to addendum what they missed. Calling radiologists and reviewing images together to come up with an agreed upon differentials lead to better patient care.

Now I would NOT want to be held legally responsible for missing something in the thyroid or lung nodule or some lesion in the sinus or soft tissues by trying to charge for reading myself. I do not have time for that and already make good enough money without such dangerous side gig.