The free MRI review at Synergy is a no-cost, no-obligation evaluation of your existing imaging by Dr. McMillan personally. You upload or mail your scan; he reviews it and responds with a candid assessment — whether you're a candidate for the endoscopic approach, what your specific anatomy suggests, and what we would recommend. No travel required to find out.
Why this exists
Patients facing spine surgery decisions often live hundreds or thousands of miles from the surgeons they’re considering. The conventional pathway — fly in, pay for a consultation, then learn whether you’re even a candidate — wastes time and money for everyone involved. The free MRI review inverts that: you find out candidacy first, then decide whether to travel.It also lets Dr. McMillan be honest about cases he can’t help. A meaningful fraction of patients who send MRIs aren’t candidates for the endoscopic approach — too much instability, too much deformity, the wrong specific pathology. They get told that, candidly, without having spent anything or traveled anywhere. The free review costs us time; it saves patients far more.
What you send
Your existing lumbar or cervical MRI. The full study, including the images themselves (not just the radiologist’s report). Most modern facilities can provide a CD or a secure download link with the imaging files in DICOM format. Older studies on film can be photographed or scanned — though digital images are far easier to evaluate.If you don’t have an MRI, you’ll need to get one before a candidacy determination is possible. The office can help guide you through what’s typically needed and what imaging facilities in your area are usually reliable.
What you get back
A candid written response from Dr. McMillan after he has reviewed your imaging personally. Not a form letter, not a junior associate’s screen, not a generic ‘come in for a consultation.’ His actual read on your case.The response will tell you: what the imaging shows, what it suggests about your symptoms, whether you appear to be a candidate for the endoscopic approach, what specific procedure would likely fit if you are, and what we would suggest if you are not. If you have questions after the response, the office can arrange a brief phone or video call to discuss.
Send your MRI for a free review
Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally. You get a candid answer about candidacy before any travel or scheduling.
What the consultation actually looks like
The initial visit with Dr. McMillan focuses on what your imaging actually shows and what your symptoms are telling us — independent of what you’ve been told previously. The $250 consultation fee covers his time to review your MRI personally and give you a candid evaluation. Most patients leave the visit with a clear answer: either you’re a candidate for the endoscopic approach (and we discuss what that would involve in your specific case), or you’re not (and we tell you why, and what we would suggest instead). No high-pressure scheduling, no surprise add-ons.
For patients traveling from outside the Upstate, the consultation can usually be coordinated with the procedure to minimize travel. A typical out-of-town pathway is: send your MRI for the free review, have a phone or video conversation with Dr. McMillan after his review, and travel for a single combined visit-and-procedure schedule when you decide to move forward. The office handles the logistics — lodging recommendations, transportation guidance, and post-op coordination with your local primary care physician.
If you have been told you need a fusion and you are not sure, or if you have been managing this with conservative care that has stopped working, the next step is the free MRI review. There is no obligation and no cost to send your scan. Dr. McMillan reviews each one personally. The response will tell you plainly whether the endoscopic approach fits your specific anatomy, or whether your situation calls for a different plan.
What happens next
If the review suggests you’re a candidate and you want to proceed, the next step is a $250 consultation visit (credited toward the procedure if you proceed). For out-of-town patients, this is often combined with the procedure in a single trip. The office coordinates logistics — scheduling, lodging guidance, transportation considerations.If the review suggests you’re not a candidate, you owe nothing and we tell you why, plus what we’d recommend instead. We don’t ask patients to travel for procedures that won’t help them.
Bottom line
The free MRI review at Synergy is a no-cost, no-obligation evaluation of your existing imaging by Dr. McMillan personally. You upload or mail your scan; he reviews it and responds with a candid assessment — whether you're a candidate for the endoscopic approach, what your specific anatomy suggests, and what we would recommend. No travel required to find out.
If you’ve been told you need a fusion — or you’re trying to avoid one — a free MRI review is the most useful next step. Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally and tells you candidly whether the endoscopic approach fits your specific anatomy.
For patients dealing with free MRI review, the conversation comes down to specifics: what your imaging actually shows, what your symptoms are actually telling us, and which procedure (if any) genuinely matches that pattern. The candid answer is sometimes that you do not need surgery yet; the candid answer is sometimes that you do, but a smaller operation than the one you have been quoted. A second-opinion MRI review separates those cases and gives you the information you need to make the decision well.
How the free mri review process works at Synergy
The free MRI review is the gateway to every Synergy patient relationship — it answers the question “am I a candidate?” before any travel or scheduling commitment. At Synergy Spine Center, this part of the patient journey is structured to be candid before it’s commercial. Dr. McMillan personally reviews each MRI submission — not a triage nurse, not a junior associate, not an algorithm. The review identifies whether the imaging supports an endoscopic intervention or whether something else would be more appropriate, and you get that answer in writing before any travel commitment.
For patients who turn out to be candidates, the next step is a phone consultation lasting 30-45 minutes that covers the specific procedure recommended (most commonly endoscopic discectomy), the expected outcome, recovery timeline, and transparent bundled pricing. There’s no consultation fee for this conversation, and no pressure to schedule afterward — the next move is yours. Patients who want to proceed combine consultation and procedure into a single visit via the 3-day plan.
For patients who are not candidates, the review delivers an honest assessment along with a referral to the appropriate specialty when needed. Several of Synergy’s regular referral patterns include fusion surgeons who do excellent work when fusion is genuinely indicated — and the candor here is what makes the practice’s no-fusion-first philosophy credible rather than ideological. Background on how the practice operates is at /our-philosophy/, and the broader healthcare policy context on imaging-driven candidacy is at ACR Appropriateness Criteria — Imaging.
Frequently asked
Is the review really free?
Yes — no fee for Dr. McMillan to review the MRI you send and respond. The free review costs us time; we offer it because it filters out patients who aren’t candidates before they invest in travel. For a personalized candidacy assessment based on your specific imaging, submit through the free MRI review — Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally with a written response within several business days.
Do I need a referral?
No. Send your MRI directly. We can review imaging without a physician referral. For background on the specific condition most often diagnosed in this context, the mri review by mail page covers symptoms, diagnostic workup, and full treatment options.
How long does the response take?
Typically within a few business days, depending on Dr. McMillan’s clinical schedule. Urgent cases are prioritized. For the most common surgical procedure offered for these pathologies, see the endoscopic discectomy page which covers technique, anesthesia, recovery, and bundled pricing.
What if I don't have a current MRI?
You’ll need to get one before candidacy can be determined. The office can help guide you through what’s typically needed. For a personalized candidacy assessment based on your specific imaging, submit through the free MRI review — Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally with a written response within several business days.
Can I do this if I'm in another state?
Yes — this is exactly what the program is designed for. Most of our patients reviewing through this process are from outside South Carolina. Out-of-town patients typically combine consultation and procedure into a single trip — see the 3-day plan for typical cadence and the medical travel cost for planning purposes.
What if I'm not a candidate?
You’ll get a candid response telling you that, with our suggested next steps. You owe nothing. Honest answers come first. For the most common surgical procedure offered for these pathologies, see the endoscopic discectomy page which covers technique, anesthesia, recovery, and bundled pricing.
How this page was prepared
This page summarizes the clinical approach taken at Synergy Spine Center for the topic above. It is based on peer-reviewed literature, professional society guidelines (NASS, AAOS), federal patient education resources (NIH, AHRQ, CMS), and Dr. McMillan’s experience as Director of Spinal Medicine and Endoscopic Spinal Surgery. Outcome language is qualified. Individual results vary. Pricing where shown is current for 2026 and may change.
References
- CMS — telemedicine and remote consultation rules. — source
- NASS — second opinion clinical resources. — source
- OrthoInfo — preparing for spine surgery. — source
- ACR Appropriateness Criteria — Imaging — authoritative reference for free mri review.
- NASS Patient Resources — authoritative reference for free mri review.
Synergy Spine Center publishes patient education content for general information only; it is not medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. For specific medical guidance, schedule a consultation. No identifiable patient information is included on this page.