DOC wrote:May I add the patient may think an x-ray is the best diagnostic tool when it may be an alternative such as an ultrasound. Dare I say there is a public finding (Medicare) aspect to it as well.
Yes. I did some case conferencing with an Occupational Medicine expert years ago over WorkCover cases. Ultrasounds were quite useful. Same thing applies when you are trying to establish whether a presentation is neurological or psychiatric - or a mixed state. Sometimes a basic screening test like an EEG finds things that won't show up on an MRI, let alone an X-ray. The big problem there is that MRI's are more available than an EEG in most rural areas.