No Significant Abnormalities

[Guest guest]

Hi, all.

I have a question.

I had an x-ray taken of my right pinky finger. The nurse calls me to give the

results and says, " No signficant abnormalities. "

What does that mean?

I have read x-ray reports before. I've had tons of x-rays through the years,

and I probably glow in the dark. All the ones I have read say, " Negative for

fracture, " or something like that. So, I am confused by what the nurse said.

It makes me think there is a difference between 'Negative' and No " significant "

abnormalities. Nothing significant I'm taking to mean no major problems or

issues? Perhaps a small something that could not be identified either way

(broken/not broken).

And what about that arthritis the doctor said it was? Wouldn't that show up on

the x-ray? And then the nurse would have said what? " Arthritic changes? " No

mention of arthritis!

Or, since I had the x-ray 2 weeks after the pain started, and with previous

broken fingers I have had the orthopaedist say that the bone resets itself for

better or worse within 24 hours.

And, last year, I had a broken finger. It was broken all the way through the

bone. The ortho said that it might never heal, but as long as no pain, then no

need for a surgical reset. He said the 24 hour thing about how it did what it

was going to do. I didn't listen last year, and kept it splinted for 2 weeks,

and when I went back (3 weeks post break) the ortho was completely floored when

the x-ray showed that the bone was still healing, but that the fracture had

completely healed.

So, in the back of my mind, I'm kind of thinking about that 3 week heal time for

the last break, and wondering if that is what they;re trying to tell me with the

" No significant abnormalities. "

If anyone has any clarification or ideas, even if they are just assumptions, I

would love to hear them!

Jade