GUIDES
Why keep a copy of your medical records and CT/MRI images?
Prepare for follow-up appointments, visits to another facility and organising your records by examination date.
Image discs and electronic documents supplied by a healthcare facility may be needed again after the first appointment. An organised copy makes preparing your records more convenient while retaining the original source for reference.
Bring previous data to follow-up visits or another facility
When you are asked to provide earlier images, you can prepare a copy to take with you. Previous images and reports may help a clinician review and compare examinations where appropriate. Ask the receiving facility in advance which media and transfer methods it accepts.
Avoid relying on just one disc
With only a single copy, losing or damaging the storage medium means you have to locate the source again. An additional backup gives you more control over record keeping. Check that the copy can actually be read, rather than relying only on a “copy complete” message.
Keep the original and backup in two suitable locations. You can note the copy date and a general description on the case to help find it, while avoiding unnecessary exposure of medical information.
Organise records by examination
Keep a separate list with the examination date, issuing facility and storage location of each set of records. This helps distinguish appointments without renaming or changing files inside the original dataset.
Before handover, check that the records belong to the correct person and examination and include the requested documents. Share them only with authorised recipients.
What makes a complete copy?
If the disc contains DICOM data, preserve the structure and related components. Do not select a few easy-to-view images and assume they represent the whole dataset. For separate reports or documents, compare them with the list received from the hospital.
Being able to read the files does not guarantee compatibility with every system. The receiving facility should check whether it can use the data. Decisions about further examinations or imaging belong to healthcare professionals.
How to enquire about copying
For an initial enquiry, tell us how many discs you have, how many extra copies you need and whether the originals can be read. You do not need to send test results or detailed patient information through the enquiry form. We can then agree on an appropriate way to handle data you are authorised to copy.