General information to help you prepare for a conversation with your clinician.
You’ve found the report in your portal and downloaded the PDF. Then another office asks for the actual images. It’s a frustrating extra step when you thought you were ready. Here’s what to request so you don’t have to keep going back and forth.
One question to bring with you“Can you send me the complete imaging study in DICOM format, along with the radiologist’s report?”
You are entitled to them
Under HIPAA, you have a right to access your health information, and imaging is part of it. The practice or imaging center can charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies and generally has up to 30 days to respond, though many respond much faster.
How to ask
- Find where the study was done. The imaging center or hospital that took the pictures holds them, not necessarily the doctor who ordered them.
- Call the radiology or medical records department. Ask for the images in digital form, often called DICOM files, along with the report.
- Ask for a link first. Many centers offer a secure image-sharing link. If not, a disc or a download usually works.
- Sign the release form. They will ask who it should go to. If you want it for yourself, name yourself.
- Write down the dates and study type. “Left knee MRI, March 2026” helps avoid mix-ups.
Practical tips
- Ask for all relevant studies: both the current one and any older ones for comparison.
- Open the files yourself before you send them anywhere, if you can, to confirm they load.
- Keep a copy. Do not send your only disc to anyone.
- Send images only through a secure route. Do not email scans or post them in a public forum.
Connecting the images to a question
Once you have the files, you can bring them to another surgeon or use them for a records-review opinion. We explain how in How to get a second opinion on an MRI, and what to check before an appointment in Before your orthopedic appointment.
Quick answers
Can I get my MRI images for free?
You may be charged a reasonable, cost-based fee. Some centers provide a link or a first copy at no charge.
Is the report enough for a second opinion?
Usually not. A report summarizes one reader’s view. A second opinion works best with the images.
What if the imaging center will not release the images?
Ask for the privacy officer or medical records supervisor, and cite your HIPAA right of access. The HHS guidance linked below explains your rights.
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.
Sources
- HHS: Individuals’ right under HIPAA to access their health information
- RadiologyInfo.org: patient information on imaging