Waiting for the results of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan can be stressful. The time between the scan and receiving the official results often involves uncertainty, especially when findings influence future medical decisions. Communication protocols for these results vary widely between medical facilities and individual healthcare providers.
How Standard MRI Results Are Communicated
The typical process for communicating routine, non-urgent MRI results involves several steps. After the scan, a radiologist—a physician specializing in interpreting medical images—reviews the images and generates a detailed report. This technical document is intended for the referring physician, not the patient.
For routine findings, the report is usually delivered to the ordering physician within a standard timeframe, often three to ten business days. This delivery often happens electronically, requiring the physician time to review the report and integrate the findings with your clinical history. Many healthcare systems now use patient portals to release the radiologist’s report, which can cause confusion for patients trying to interpret complex medical terminology.
The referring doctor is ultimately responsible for discussing the results with you and creating a treatment plan. This discussion often takes place during a scheduled follow-up appointment, which may be booked a week or two after your scan. Receiving the results via a secure patient portal, a routine phone call from a nurse, or a formal letter are common methods for non-urgent findings.
Identifying Urgent Results and Direct Contact
Whether a doctor calls depends entirely on the nature of the finding and its potential for immediate harm. Medical systems have established protocols to handle urgent findings that require prompt intervention to prevent serious illness or death. In these situations, the communication process is accelerated and personalized.
If the radiologist identifies something requiring immediate action—such as acute hemorrhage, malignancy needing immediate biopsy, or severe spinal cord compression—they bypass the routine process. The radiologist will directly contact the referring physician, often within minutes or hours, to verbally communicate the finding. This ensures the ordering physician is immediately aware of the urgent need for patient management.
Once the referring physician has the urgent information, they will initiate a direct call to the patient to discuss the finding and the necessity for intervention. This direct, urgent contact is a failsafe mechanism designed to prevent dangerous treatment delays. The urgent call may come from the physician, a physician assistant, or a high-level nurse.
Proactive Steps While Waiting for Your Results
You can take several steps to manage the waiting period and ensure a smooth delivery of your MRI results. Before leaving the imaging facility, confirm the expected timeline for the radiologist to interpret the images and for your doctor’s office to receive the report. This sets a realistic expectation for when you should hear back.
Ensure that the ordering physician’s office has your most current contact information, including the best phone number and email address for urgent communication. If you have access to a patient portal, familiarize yourself with it, but be prepared that the raw report may appear before your doctor has had a chance to call and explain the findings in context.
If the promised timeline for receiving your results has passed, it is appropriate to initiate contact with your doctor’s office. A call to the office staff to inquire about the status of the report can help prevent an accidental delay in communication. Knowing the process and being proactive helps you remain informed while the medical team completes their review.