MRI Review in Surprise, AZ
MRI review in Surprise, AZ from a chiropractor trained to review imaging as part of his doctorate, not only to order it. If you already have an MRI, bring it. At Legg Chiropractic and Acupuncture, Dr. Derek M. Legg, D.C., M.P.H. goes over it with you on the screen in plain language, connects it to your examination and your X-rays, and builds one treatment plan around what it actually shows. The formal radiology report still comes from the radiologist who reads the scan. When the MRI points to something beyond chiropractic care, Dr. Legg tells you plainly and refers you to the right specialist. New self pay patients start with a $49 first visit, and walk ins are welcome Monday through Thursday.
Can a chiropractor read an MRI?
Yes. Diagnostic imaging is part of the chiropractic doctorate, and Dr. Legg reviews your MRI for the findings that guide chiropractic care: a disc herniation, spinal stenosis, a pinched nerve, or a red flag that needs a surgeon. The formal radiology report still comes from the radiologist who reads the scan. Dr. Legg goes over that imaging with you, folds it into your plan, and is honest about the limits. If the film shows something chiropractic care should not treat, you will hear that plainly, along with where to go next.
I already have an MRI. Can Dr. Legg just read it?
Yes. Bring it or have it sent, and he reads it with you at your first visit and explains what it means for your care. In practice most reviews are of a film you already have, ordered by your medical doctor or taken after a crash, and there is no imaging cost to review it with you.
MRI vs X-ray: which one do you need?
They answer different questions. An X-ray shows bone: alignment, arthritis, fractures, and the structure of the spine, and it is usually the first image taken. An MRI shows the soft tissue an X-ray cannot: the discs, the nerves, and the spinal cord. An MRI earns its place when there is nerve pain that is not improving, a possible disc herniation, or a red flag that must be ruled out. See our digital X-ray page for how the two compare, or read the X-ray guide for what a film actually shows.
Do I need an MRI for back pain?
Usually not. Most back pain and neck pain is diagnosed by the examination and an X-ray. An MRI is for nerve pain that is not improving, a suspected disc herniation, or a red flag. The examination decides.
Do you have an MRI machine in the office?
No. An MRI is done at an imaging center. We review the film with you and fold it into your plan, and we can order one when it is needed and you are not on Medicare.
What we use an MRI review for in Surprise, AZ
An MRI review helps most when soft tissue is driving the problem: a disc behind stubborn back pain or neck pain, a nerve feeding sciatica and radiating pain, the deeper causes of shoulder and hip pain, and the injuries that follow auto accident injuries, where an MRI often becomes part of the record. Whether you need one at all comes from your examination. See the full list of conditions we treat.
What Dr. Legg looks for in your MRI
He reads the film for the things that decide your care. A disc that is bulging or herniated, and whether it is touching a nerve. Narrowing of the spinal canal. Arthritis and its stage. And the small number of findings that mean chiropractic care should wait or should not happen at all. If it points to surgery, he refers you out rather than sell you care that will not help.
How your MRI shapes your treatment plan
What he finds shapes the chiropractic adjustment, whether spinal decompression fits, and the rest of your plan, aimed at the actual cause rather than a guess. That plan may also include acupuncture, dry needling, or therapeutic exercise, chosen from the same examination. A posture evaluation finds the habit that keeps loading the same area, and you get all of it from the same doctor. Individual results vary.
What if the MRI shows something serious?
Dr. Legg tells you plainly and refers you to the right specialist. Honest guidance is part of the job, even when the answer is not chiropractic care.
Does Medicare cover an MRI from a chiropractor?
No. Original Medicare does not cover an MRI ordered by a chiropractor, the same as X-rays, so imaging ordered here would be self pay. Medicare also does not cover acupuncture, dry needling, or spinal decompression by a chiropractor. Medicare does cover the medically necessary spinal adjustment itself, which we bill directly. Some Medicare Advantage plans do cover imaging, so we verify your benefits and quote anything in writing first. More detail is on our Medicare page and our insurance page.
What to expect: bring your MRI
If you already have an MRI on a disc or in a portal, bring it to your first visit, or have the imaging center send it over. Your first visit covers a consultation, a full examination, digital X-rays if they are clinically necessary, and a review of your MRI if you have one, so you leave understanding your problem rather than only holding a report. Dr. Legg walks you through your findings and your treatment plan at the report of findings. New self pay patients can start with the $49 first visit, and more detail on the day is on the first visit page. The $49 first visit does not apply to Medicare, auto accident, personal injury or workers' compensation cases. Arizona allows you to see a chiropractor directly, so no referral is needed; walk ins are welcome Monday through Thursday, or you can book online.
Visit us
Legg Chiropractic and Acupuncture, 13757 W Bell Rd #101, Surprise, AZ 85374, inside Sheitelman Physical Medicine on West Bell Road, minutes from Sun City West, Sun City, El Mirage, Litchfield Park, Waddell, Peoria and Goodyear. Call (623) 214-7600 or book online. Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Arizona time. Dr. Derek M. Legg, D.C., M.P.H. earned his Doctor of Chiropractic at Logan University and a Master of Public Health, is Certified in Acupuncture, and reads your imaging with you himself. You see the same doctor at every visit, so your plan stays consistent and nothing gets handed off between providers. Learn more about Dr. Legg, see every service we offer, or read about chiropractic care in Surprise, AZ. Individual results vary. Reviewed by Dr. Derek M. Legg, D.C., M.P.H. Last reviewed September 2026.