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Diagnosis and diagnostic procedures.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about our clinic
Quite naturally, you may well have some questions about our clinic in general or perhaps about some of our various procedures. We are, of course, willing to answer any questions you may have, and in order to assist you we have put together a selection of the most commonly asked questions below. Just drag the mouse over the question you are interested in and click on it to see the full explanation by our chief physician, Dr. Bernd Dörflinger.
Why does your clinic concentrate on diagnosis?
Every course of treatment is based on a diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis is the decisive factor for therapeutic success in most cases. Enormous progress in medical technology and biomedicine has increased diagnostic capabilities considerably. As a result of the general trend towards increased specialisation in pursuit of quality improvements, we felt it was a logical step for a clinic to put together a team of specialists based on this principle.
What are the advantages of the so-called imaging procedures for diagnosis?
Modern imaging facilities enable the physician to view the inside of the body without having to make a single incision. This procedure produces coloured three-dimensional images of the inside of the body, which increases diagnostic precision dramatically. The virtual navigation system makes it possible to go on a virtual journey through the colon, the arteries, or the bronchia.
What about the level of cooperation between your clinic and my doctors back home?
All the picture documentation in our clinic is printed out in colour and is stored, together with the medical results, on a CD. This enables your doctor to examine the pictures and results directly through us, and to digitally store them in their own patient file. It goes without saying that we are prepared to answer any questions that may arise, including by phone.
Are all of the physicians familiar with the new diagnostic procedures?
It usually takes some time for all of the physicians to get to know the newly developed procedures. However, for each diagnostic procedure, in addition to the picture documentation, we also produce a written report which clearly details the results of the examination.
Can I be hospitalised with you as well?
At the Diagnoseklinik München, the examinations can also be performed during a hospital stay. If a reason why you should remain with us should materialise whilst you are having the examinations performed, we will gladly accommodate you rather than have them performed on an outpatient basis.
Do you recommend specialists or clinics should the need for treatment arise?
As we are a clinic specialising in diagnosis, we do not usually perform the therapy ourselves. However, being specialists in the field of diagnosis, we cooperate with specialists in all fields of medicine – regionally, nationally and internationally. Thus, we are able to recommend you a specialist not only in your town, but also provide you with the details of one of the best specialists in this particular field of medicine worldwide. Our assistance does not just end with the diagnosis.
Is the virtual colonoscopy able to show as much as the conventional colonoscopy?
Extensive scientific research has shown that the virtual colonoscopy is equally as efficient as the conventional colonoscopy at detecting polyps larger than 10 millimetres. Should a smaller polyp be overlooked by chance, it will certainly be detected during the next examination, which usually takes place within the proceeding two years. It will, therefore, certainly be detected before it can cause any harm. Apart from this, there are many other benefits that promote the virtual colonoscopy as the preferred method. Not only does it show the inside of the colon, but it is also able to detect anomalies that have occurred on the outside of the colon. Due to the fact all of the organs in the abdominal cavity are examined in this procedure, the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and the abdominal arteries also come under scrutiny. This is a distinct advantage. In many cases, no anomaly is detected in the colon, but other areas in need of treatment are detected elsewhere.
Why does my social health insurance not cover these procedures?
The social health insurance system is only prepared to pay for a computed tomography of the abdominal region if it is absolutely necessary. The virtual imaging – i.e. the virtual journey through the colon, the bronchia, or the coronary vessels – is, unfortunately, not covered. However, private insurance policies cover the costs as long as a physician has ordered the examination.
If I have a PET scan performed, why is it necessary to add a virtual colonoscopy or mammography as well?
During the PET scan, a marked sugar solution is injected into the vein and then collects in places of the body that have a higher sugar metabolism than normal. This imaging procedure does not depend on the size, but rather on the activity level of the process. This means that a small active process is shown more clearly than a large process that happens to be less active. Whereas, if only a PET scan is performed, a process that happens to be less active could potentially be overlooked. In general, this is not too severe a problem as it can only grow slowly if it is not that active, which would mean it would be detected during the next examination – usually within the proceeding two years. To be able to detect less active processes in the very early stages, it sometimes makes sense to perform additional examinations after the PET scan.
Can I consult a physician again after having received the findings?
It goes without saying that the specialists at our clinic do not only talk to you before the examination to explain the procedure. There is, naturally, an extensive consultation after the examination during which the results are discussed at length. In the case of some examinations, the evaluation process of the results is very time-consuming, which means the results cannot be produced within the same day. In such circumstances, a consultation appointment is scheduled as soon as the results are ready.
If there are results indicating a problem with my heart, can I go to a hospital in my hometown to be treated?
Even though not all physicians are familiar with the newly developed virtual procedures, your physician will be able to start therapy on the basis of the written results that are attached to the pictures.
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