General information to help you prepare for a conversation with your clinician.
You can trust your surgeon and still want another opinion. Maybe the recommendation surprised you. Maybe you understood it in the office, but more questions came up on the drive home. You don’t need to apologize for wanting the decision explained again.
One question to bring with you“What is the one decision I want this second opinion to help me understand?”
Start with what you’re trying to decide
Say your MRI report mentions a meniscus tear and surgery has been suggested. You might want someone to explain why that operation makes sense. Or you might understand the recommendation and want to hear what another surgeon would consider.
Write that down in your own words. “I want to understand whether rehab is still an option for me” is a perfectly useful place to start. You don’t need to turn it into a medical question before you ask it.
It also helps to say what matters outside the scan. Getting through a shift on your feet, carrying your child upstairs and returning to football are different goals. Give the person reviewing your case some idea of yours.
Get the actual images together
This is where the back-and-forth often starts. You have a PDF from the portal. The next office asks for the scan. You send the PDF again.
The radiologist’s report and the imaging study are different things. Ask the imaging center for both. If you’re unsure what to request, we’ve written out the wording you can use.
Gather your visit notes if you have them, and a short account of what you’ve already tried. A few sentences about how long this has been going on, what makes it difficult and whether treatment helped are more useful than trying to write a perfect medical history.
Before sending anything, check that the office or review service can open the images and has a secure way to receive them. You can ask what’s missing before a clinician begins the review.
Ask what kind of opinion you’re getting
An appointment with another surgeon includes an examination. A radiology re-read is another radiologist’s interpretation of the images. A written records review lets a clinician consider the material you send and respond to your question. Those are different services, so ask what yours includes.
For a written review, it’s worth asking: Will the clinician review the images themselves? What will I receive? Can I ask a follow-up question? What happens if an examination is needed?
There are limits to reviewing records remotely. A reviewer cannot physically test your strength, stability or range of motion. You still need a treating clinician to examine you when needed, make treatment decisions with you and direct follow-up.
If you’re worried about asking
You can keep it simple: “I’d feel more comfortable getting another opinion before I decide. Can your office help me get my records?”
You don’t have to turn the conversation into a debate. You’re asking for help understanding a decision about your body. If timing matters, ask the treating clinician how much time you have to consider the options.
When the answers differ
A second opinion can leave you with another question: why do two people looking at the same scan recommend different things?
Bring the written opinion back to the clinician treating you. Ask which part they agree with and which part they see differently. Is there something from the examination that changes the picture? Are they weighing your goals differently? Is more information needed?
The useful outcome is a decision you understand well enough to discuss. If you still can’t explain why a treatment is being recommended or what happens next, it’s reasonable to keep asking.
Want a surgeon to look at your scan?
Second Look is a written opinion from an orthopedic surgeon on the X-ray, MRI or CT you already have. It is opening soon. Join the free waitlist and we will email you when it opens in your state.
Join the Second Look waitlist →What did we miss?
If there’s a question you wish this guide answered, suggest a topic. Keep it general; please don’t email scans or personal medical information.