Scans and heart tests
Radiology report explainer
Imaging reports are written by one doctor for another, so they are full of anatomical terms and careful phrasing. Add your report below and each sentence of the findings and impression is restated in everyday words, with the technical terms defined.
Explain your radiology report
- 1. Add itDrop a PDF, take a photo or paste the text.
- 2. Check itPersonal details are removed on your device. You approve what is sent.
- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
The explainer opens on its own page with no adverts and no outside scripts. Your file is read on your device and is never uploaded.
What you get
- The findings and the impression broken into separate, readable lines.
- Plain-language versions of phrases such as "unremarkable", "opacity" or "no acute abnormality".
- A glossary of the anatomical and technical terms in your report.
- A note of anything the report recommends as a next step, in its own words.
Reports people bring here
- Chest X-ray reports
- CT scans of the head, chest, abdomen or pelvis
- MRI reports for the brain, spine, knee or shoulder
- Abdominal, pelvic and pregnancy ultrasound reports
- Mammogram and bone density (DEXA) reports
What this tool cannot tell you
A radiology report describes what a scan shows. It does not, on its own, say what is wrong or what should happen next. Words that sound alarming are often routine, and brief wording can still be important. MedicDecode restates the report and never adds a diagnosis. If your report mentions a follow-up scan or uses words such as "suspicious" or "urgent", contact your doctor promptly.
Common questions
What does "unremarkable" mean in a scan report?
It is the radiologist's way of saying that a structure looked normal, with nothing that needed remarking on.
Will it tell me whether a finding is cancer?
No. It explains the words the radiologist used. What a finding is, and what to do about it, has to come from your doctor, who may need more tests to know.
Do I upload the scan images?
No. MedicDecode reads the written report only. It does not look at X-ray, CT or MRI images.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- Atelectasis
Atelectasis means part of a lung is not fully expanded, so the small air sacs there are partly or completely deflated.
- BI-RADS
BI-RADS is a scoring system from 0 to 6 used on mammogram, breast ultrasound and breast MRI reports to describe findings and next steps.
- Cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly means the heart looks larger than expected, usually on a chest X-ray, and it is a description rather than a diagnosis.
- Clinical correlation
Clinical correlation means the radiologist is asking your doctor to compare the scan with your symptoms, examination and other tests.
- Consolidation
Consolidation on a chest scan means part of the lung that is normally filled with air is filled with something else, such as fluid or pus.
- Contrast
Contrast is a dye given before or during a scan to make blood vessels and certain tissues show up more clearly.
- Cyst
A cyst is a closed sac with a thin wall that usually holds fluid, and simple cysts seen on scans are very common and usually harmless.
- Degenerative changes
Degenerative changes means wear-and-tear changes in joints or the spine that commonly happen with age and use.
- Disc bulge
A disc bulge means a spinal disc extends a little beyond its normal edge, usually evenly around a wide area. It is very common.
- Effusion
An effusion is extra fluid that has collected in a space in the body, such as around the lungs, in a joint or around the heart.
- Ejection fraction
Ejection fraction is the percentage of blood the heart's main pumping chamber pushes out with each beat. It is one measure of heart pumping.
- Enhancement
Enhancement means an area becomes brighter on a scan after contrast dye is given, which shows it has a blood supply.