itsasmallworld

Does any one know if the results of an immigration medical performed in Canada for PR status are sent to your family physician in Canada?

I need chest x-ray result to be able to do some voluntary work. Had chest x ray last October for PR medical and they would accept this but I do not know if I can get a copy.

withabix

No, they aren't available. We asked about this recently.

Even if they were, it would be quicker to get another one anyway. Multiple X-rays aren't a health risk unless you have lots and lots of them.

CIC website says:

▼
Getting a copy of your medical exam

If you want a copy of your medical exam, please ask the doctor when you are there.

Note: Medical reports and x-rays for the medical exam become the property of CIC and cannot be returned to you.

itsasmallworld

Thanks Withabix. I suspected that was the case. Nurse I was talking to today seemed to think that information would always be sent to family doctor, especially as repeating x rays unnecessarily was not a good idea.

Looks like I will be getting another chest x-ray! I think this will be my third or fourth in the last 5 years. I really wish I had not been given that BCG.

Stinkypup

Not entirely true- a chest X-ray has risk although I would agree that the radiation dose is small- certainly compared to back x- rays,CT scans and abdominal films.

Stinkypup

This is actually still not bad- each CXR apparently is equivalent to background radiation absorbed by you standing on the earth from space of about extra four days. Abdominal CT scans however are equivelent I believe to about 3-4 years background radiation... Not something to repeat if possible as doses are cumulative.
Back x-rays are also high dose and typically yield very little information above clinical examination and one should really try and avoid these- a local back surgeon advised us that 700 lumbar spine x-rays would have to be taken ( obviously on different patients!) to show pathology which would influence his management of the patient. Quite a shockingly low yield.

colchar

Go to the place that did the x-ray and ask them for a copy.

colchar

If the amount of radiation is the same how are chest x-rays more risky?

Stinkypup

This explains it well
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=safety
As I said the risks are incredibly low for chest X-rays

XrayRisk.com :

bats may be able to comment further as this is particularly her field

I have never seen any investigations which have arisen from an immigration medical in any chart that I have had which includes obviously previous info from past GPs. Even if you request them I doubt whether they would oblige for bloods and chest x-Rays - as has been suggested unless you specifically asked at the time of your medical.

AlliF

Slightly off topic but just out of curiosity, if the x-ray came back showing something abnormal would they then have a duty of care to inform you/your GP?

PMM

Hi

Quote from the Panel Physician Handbook

"Panel physicians are to provide appropriate and timely advice to the client when they discover a serious disease not known to the client.

In doing so, they are to uphold professional and ethical standards by referring back to the client’s usual physician or to an appropriate specialist, upon request."

Siouxie

That was an interesting website (xrayrisk) - you can get accumulated totals. Eek!

Totals:

Number of Xrays 25

Dose (mSv) 74.720001

Additional cancer risk 0.400201%

An Additional Cancer Risk of 0.400201% is equal to 1 in 250 chances.

Stinkypup

I think that you will fine!!