Mystery procedures

[hall2]

I’ve just had a telephone consultation with a haematologist and I’ve been told that I need to have an ultrasound done and some other procedure. The lady had a very strong accent and I couldn’t make out all that was said. Does anyone know what they will be uitrasounding and what this other procedure might be? I’ve been told I can go to GP to get them done. I have ET with CalR.

[Swede]

Hi, my guess is ultrasound for the size of spleen and BoneMarrowBiopsy so you get a baseline where you are right now.Can you ring up and tell that you didn't fully understand all information?

[paradiastole in reply to Swede]

It would be a rare GP who had the facilities to do an ultrasound and the willingness to do a bone marrow biopsy. Get back in touch with the haematologist.

(As an aside, when I had the spleen ultrasound done I got the standard letter telling me to have a full bladder when the ultrasound was done. When I went to the hospital, after a long time hopping up and down desperate for a pee the nurse doing the ultrasound told me they weren't going to scan my bladder so I needn't have bothered drinking a gallon of water or whatever it is they recommend).

[hall2 in reply to Swede]

I don’t think it was BNB I had one do w a couple of years ago. All of my counts and liver functions are perfect so I was told.

[hunter5582]

The ultrasound is almost certainly to assess for splenomegaly. That is not something your GP can typically do. It can perhaps be done at the hospital if your GP is based there. Can't imaging what else would be ordered unless it is additional blood work like a mutant allele quantitative analysis or a check for non-driver mutations. That could be done at the GP office. Suggest you get the doc to send you a note so you can understand what is being ordered.

[hall2 in reply to hunter5582]

Well they will send me a letter eventually with the paper work I need for all this. I may phone them.

[Minu68 in reply to hall2]

I would, if you don’t understand what’s going on. I had the same with a haematologist, found her hard to understand, and though it felt a bit embarrassing, just kept asking her to repeat herself if I couldn’t make out what she said, even asked her to spell a word twice. Found it stressful, but necessary, and she actually didn’t mind at all

[ChillyAsh34]

I had blood work and ultrascan done to to see spleen ,kidneys etc also that is where a bloodclot could form so they check ,

[Rockstone]

I had a letter informing me I was to have an ultrasound..its very like they do on pregnant women! It checks for spleen and kidneys and liver to see all is ok, the worst part will be drinking a pint and half of water. They will prob press on me and I will wet myself!!

[Wyebird]

It will be the spleen. I had it done. The spleen in some cases swell due to platelet production. It doesn’t hurt just difficult to hold a full bladder whilst it’s being done.

[finlay2106]

I agree with others' comments, it's most likely that the ultrasound is to check the size of the spleen (mine was done early on - I believe it can be enlarged with an MPN). In the UK in most cases this seems to be done in hospital but I have heard of the odd GP practice capable of doing ultrasounds but I would have thought this is rare except perhaps in pregnancy. As for the other test, who knows? It could be a bone marrow biopsy but this might depend on the hospital's approach - mine seems to be reluctant to do it unless they think it's absolutely necessary but I get the impression that in the States for example it is more commonplace. As Swede suggests can you phone the haematology team back and ask to speak to someone (medical secretary or clinical nurse specialist?) to check what they are requesting and why?

[hall2]

Thanks for all replies, I phoned the specialist nurse and the ultrasound is for a scan of the liver and spleen and the other is a blood test related to the gene mutation I have, so just routine evidently.