If this is an emergency, call 911. Sudden weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, facial droop, sudden severe headache, sudden vision loss, seizure or new confusion need emergency care now, not an imaging review. This article is general education, not medical advice, and it does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
The short answer
A brain MRI report is one expert's interpretation. Most reports hold up on review. In one academic study, subspecialty neuroradiologists re-read outside brain and spine imaging studies and found a clinically important difference in about 8% of them (Zan et al., 2010). A second look can be worthwhile when the report doesn't fit your symptoms, when a finding has made you anxious, or when a big decision depends on the scan. The most useful second opinion usually puts the images and the report in the context of your full history. The scan alone rarely tells the whole story.
Outside brain and spine imaging re-read by subspecialty neuroradiologists
Two common situations
1. "My MRI is normal, but I still have symptoms"
After a head injury, this is one of the most frustrating places to be. It does not rule out a concussion. Concussion is diagnosed clinically, and many people with concussion symptoms have normal routine scans.
The reverse can also be true. In a TRACK-TBI study of 135 patients, 27% of those with mild TBI and a normal head CT had abnormalities on an MRI done about 12 days after injury. Some of those MRI findings were associated with poorer 3-month outcomes (Yuh et al., 2013). So the type of scan, its timing and its sequences all matter. A second opinion can check whether the imaging done so far actually answers your question.
Mild TBI with a normal head CT: what a later MRI showed
2. "The report mentions something I don't understand"
Brain MRI often finds things that are not causing symptoms. In a population study of 2,000 Dutch adults aged about 45 to 97, MRI found silent brain infarcts in about 7%, aneurysms in about 2% and benign tumors (mostly meningiomas) in about 1.6% (Vernooij et al., 2007). Terms like "nonspecific white matter hyperintensities" can sound alarming. Depending on age and risk factors, they are often common findings. A second opinion can help you understand what a finding usually means and what follow-up, if any, is typically recommended.
Incidental findings on brain MRI in a general population study
When to seek a second opinion
- Your symptoms are significant and persistent, but you have been told the imaging is normal.
- The report describes a finding that is uncertain, "cannot be excluded," or comes with a recommendation for follow-up.
- Surgery, a procedure or a major treatment decision depends on the imaging.
- Two reports of your scans disagree.
- You are not sure the right type of scan was done for your question (for example, CT versus MRI, or which MRI sequences were used).
- You want to understand how your scan has changed compared with earlier scans.
What a second opinion can and can't do
It can:
- Review your imaging reports, and the images where available, alongside your history and other records.
- Explain findings in plain language and say which ones are likely relevant to your symptoms.
- Suggest questions to raise with your treating team, such as whether a different scan or a formal neuroradiology reread might help.
It can't:
- Replace a formal radiology interpretation. A physician second opinion is a clinical consultation. If a formal reread by a board-certified neuroradiologist is needed, we will say so.
- Order or perform new scans, or provide emergency care.
- Guarantee that a finding will be confirmed, removed or explained.
- Diagnose from images alone without the clinical history.
How a second opinion works
- Register interestJoin the waitlist. Bookings are not yet open.
- Send records securelyReports, imaging and notes by secure email or fax. Nothing through the website.
- Physician reviewDr. Hadanny reviews your records and the relevant evidence before the visit.
- Video visitA secure video consultation while you are in Florida, New York or Arizona.
- Written opinionA written summary for you to share with your own doctors, who continue your care.
What to prepare
- The images themselves, ideally in DICOM format on a disc or through a secure image-sharing link from the imaging center. A report alone is helpful, but it is not the same as the images.
- All imaging reports, including earlier scans for comparison.
- The clinical notes that explain why the scan was ordered.
- A brief symptom timeline and a list of your current medications.
- Your three to five most important questions.
You have a right to access copies of your images and reports. Imaging centers usually provide them on request. Some may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
How records are sent: Images and records are sent through a secure, encrypted channel or secure fax, using instructions we provide after enrollment. Please never send medical images, reports or health details by regular email, web forms or social media.
Frequently asked questions
Can you just look at my MRI disc? Images are most useful together with your history. A second opinion here is a physician consultation that reviews the whole case, not a standalone radiology read.
What are "white matter spots"? They are a common MRI finding that becomes more frequent with age. Their meaning depends on your age, history and pattern, which is exactly why context matters.
Who can use this service? Adults located in Florida, New York or Arizona at the time of the video visit.
References
- Zan E, Yousem DM, Carone M, Lewin JS. Second-opinion consultations in neuroradiology. Radiology. 2010;255(1):135-141. doi:10.1148/radiol.09090831. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20308451/
- Yuh EL, Mukherjee P, Lingsma HF, et al; TRACK-TBI Investigators. Magnetic resonance imaging improves 3-month outcome prediction in mild traumatic brain injury. Ann Neurol. 2013;73(2):224-235. doi:10.1002/ana.23783. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23224915/
- Vernooij MW, Ikram MA, Tanghe HL, et al. Incidental findings on brain MRI in the general population. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(18):1821-1828. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa070972. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17978290/
- Patricios JS, Schneider KJ, Dvorak J, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport-Amsterdam, October 2022. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(11):695-711. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106898. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37316210/
- Expert Panel on Neurological Imaging; Shih RY, Burns J, Ajam AA, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Head Trauma: 2021 update. J Am Coll Radiol. 2021;18(5S):S13-S36. doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2021.01.006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33958108/ (current version: https://acsearch.acr.org/docs/69481/Narrative/)
- US Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Individuals' Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information 45 CFR § 164.524. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/access/index.html
Reviewer note: refs 1-5 were verified against PubMed records (authors, title, journal, year, volume, pages) on 2026-11-11, and the ACR narrative URL resolves. Ref 6 was confirmed by search, but the HHS site blocks automated fetches. Author lists follow AMA style.
Video second opinions are not yet open for booking. If you would like to hear when they open, you can join the waitlist. We only ask for your name, email and state. Please don't include any health information or images.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. If this is an emergency, call 911.