5 ms·

As an individual, I want cheap at-home imaging. Right now, I don't know if I have a fractured bone. I'd like to know. It doesn't rise to the level of seeing a d

As an individual, I want cheap at-home imaging. Right now, I don't know if I have a fractured bone. I'd like to know. It doesn't rise to the level of seeing a doctor, but I'd do things differently based on whether or not I do. I'd also like to do frequent, early screenings for things like cancers. I'd like imaging cheap enough to where I'm scanned at every physical.

lostlogin 4y ago
> Right now, I don't know if I have a fractured bone. I'd like to know. It doesn't rise to the level of seeing a doctor This would seem like like something that might warrant a doctors visit, though I understand that’s easier to say when there is zero financial implication to doing so
- OJFord 4y ago
  I don't know, I can imagine feeling the same way and I have free (at point of use) healthcare. It's not emergent (I assume, since we're talking about it, it's unclear if it's as serious as a fracture or not, I assume not massively painful) so I'm going to have to go to a GP, and then unless they think definitely not wait for an x-ray appointment, during which time it's probably sorted itself out and we'll find out either it wasn't a fracture or or how well it healed. Depending where it is there may be little they could do for you anyway; even less that you wouldn't be able to do for yourself if you knew. Perhaps GP commenter is trying to keep it straight/restrict movement, let it heal - but that's annoying, if they knew it wasn't, just sore or whatever, then they wouldn't bother. My own 'at home' wish would be for testing for levels of anything that's dietary, could then use it to have a meal deliberately high in whatever the lowest was (assuming not all high!) for example.
  - frognumber 4y ago
    There are plenty of bones where the solution for a bruise, fracture, or most similar injuries is identical -- do nothing, and let it heal. That includes ribs, toes, and some other bones. Knowing what's wrong for sure doesn't change course of action much -- not enough to warrant a visit. Unless the bone has shifted out-of-position, the doctor will tell you to go easy on it for a few weeks, and perhaps buddy-tape a toe. I agree diet would be awesome. The difference is the techniques I know are... intrusive. I don't quite know how an at-home blood draw would work. I do know enough that an at-home ultrasound, EKG/EEG/EMG, and several other techniques can be made cheap, practical, and harmless. EKG/EEG/EMG can be DIYed for $10. Ultrasound, last I looked a few decades ago, would require a lot of new tech to make cheap, but nothing sci-fi grade. Developing LCD panels, integrated circuits, or e-ink were harder problems.
rocqua 4y ago
What number of false positives would you accept from being scanned at every physical though? If you get 3 colonoscopies, some liver biopsies, and a few trachescopies, you might not like the unprompted full scans. The fractured bone is a different case, because you have reason to suspect something. That makes a lot of sense. But general unprompted scanning is not necessarily a good idea.
- frognumber 4y ago
  I think I would welcome any number of false positives, so long as they were presented with appropriate statistics. For example, if the system told me I had a 1% chance of having a cancer somewhere, due to a small lump, I could decide if it's worth pursuing. On the other hand, if it told me I had a 99.99% chance of having a rapidly growing cancer somewhere, I'd go to the doctor. The big things would be caught early. The little things -- they could be tracked. If I have a pinhead-sized growth, and it's staying fixed, it's probably okay. If it's doubling every day, I might want to get it checked out.

lostlogin 4y ago

> Right now, I don't know if I have a fractured bone. I'd like to know. It doesn't rise to the level of seeing a doctor This would seem like like something that might warrant a doctors visit, though I understand that’s easier to say when there is zero financial implication to doing so

OJFord 4y ago
I don't know, I can imagine feeling the same way and I have free (at point of use) healthcare. It's not emergent (I assume, since we're talking about it, it's unclear if it's as serious as a fracture or not, I assume not massively painful) so I'm going to have to go to a GP, and then unless they think definitely not wait for an x-ray appointment, during which time it's probably sorted itself out and we'll find out either it wasn't a fracture or or how well it healed. Depending where it is there may be little they could do for you anyway; even less that you wouldn't be able to do for yourself if you knew. Perhaps GP commenter is trying to keep it straight/restrict movement, let it heal - but that's annoying, if they knew it wasn't, just sore or whatever, then they wouldn't bother. My own 'at home' wish would be for testing for levels of anything that's dietary, could then use it to have a meal deliberately high in whatever the lowest was (assuming not all high!) for example.
- frognumber 4y ago
  There are plenty of bones where the solution for a bruise, fracture, or most similar injuries is identical -- do nothing, and let it heal. That includes ribs, toes, and some other bones. Knowing what's wrong for sure doesn't change course of action much -- not enough to warrant a visit. Unless the bone has shifted out-of-position, the doctor will tell you to go easy on it for a few weeks, and perhaps buddy-tape a toe. I agree diet would be awesome. The difference is the techniques I know are... intrusive. I don't quite know how an at-home blood draw would work. I do know enough that an at-home ultrasound, EKG/EEG/EMG, and several other techniques can be made cheap, practical, and harmless. EKG/EEG/EMG can be DIYed for $10. Ultrasound, last I looked a few decades ago, would require a lot of new tech to make cheap, but nothing sci-fi grade. Developing LCD panels, integrated circuits, or e-ink were harder problems.

rocqua 4y ago

What number of false positives would you accept from being scanned at every physical though? If you get 3 colonoscopies, some liver biopsies, and a few trachescopies, you might not like the unprompted full scans. The fractured bone is a different case, because you have reason to suspect something. That makes a lot of sense. But general unprompted scanning is not necessarily a good idea.

frognumber 4y ago
I think I would welcome any number of false positives, so long as they were presented with appropriate statistics. For example, if the system told me I had a 1% chance of having a cancer somewhere, due to a small lump, I could decide if it's worth pursuing. On the other hand, if it told me I had a 99.99% chance of having a rapidly growing cancer somewhere, I'd go to the doctor. The big things would be caught early. The little things -- they could be tracked. If I have a pinhead-sized growth, and it's staying fixed, it's probably okay. If it's doubling every day, I might want to get it checked out.