Dr. West, Dr. East, and my Xrays

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It took over a week to find out that Dr. West's office received my package. Anyway the issue now is that he can not accept the hi-rez TIFF files from Dr. East for my xrays. They stated that he needs the digital files along with the program (software) that will allow him to measure bones, etc. (A phone consultation can not be done until he has the proper xrays. OY.)

I had suspected this was going to be an issue because I had read this specification in Dr. West's package he emailed to me several weeks ago. ;-(

I called Dr. East's office and they stated they could not supply software that they had paid for. (TigerView) So I related this to Dr. West's office. Then they explained that they never expected the TigerView software. I asked how this has been handled in the past with non-local clients. "Surely I can not be the first to be going through this difficulty." His assistant, (we'll call her Brenda), told me that it isn't the easiest thing, but that she has received CDs with the xray files without the software, yet when opened they are still able to make measurements. I asked her to tell me what format those files have been in, she was unable to say for sure. Uhg.

So I'm a bit stuck. Dr. West needs to be able to make measurements to determine if I am a candidate for the one-stage Brachy surgery. He offered me another option to get xrays he can measure. (To protect parties, I will keep this solution to myself.) While it's wonderful to have another option to manage Dr. East's uncooperative manner, it means more time I have to wait to get a second set of xrays done. Not.

I had hoped to have had my consultation with Dr. West by now. Oh well.

As you may recall Dr. East's first reaction to seeing my foot was that I may be a candidate for the one-step method. Then after measuring the xrays he said I was not. His measurement was 1.2 centimeters. He stated I had just missed the candidacy. (He also seemed to mention that if I still wanted the one-stage it would mean the short metatarsal would not be the same length as it appears on my unaffected right foot.

Dr. West's informational package states that he can perform the one-stage method up to 20mm (2 centimeters!) So there seems to be a conflict to me in what each of them considers to be the cut-off mark for candidacy.** But this is my pure speculation at this point. I will not know for sure until Dr. West is able to have xrays he can actually measure. (Dr. West can not make medical determinations based on another doctor's measurements/practice— and I don't want him to either.)

**I wanted to point out that Dr. East uses a cadaver bone while Dr. West says he harvests the bone needed from the patients own heel. I'm not sure if this is the reason for the difference in measurement-candidacy between both practitioners.??

Bye for now! ;o)