Guides on medical imaging and your reports
Short, practical pieces about the files your hospital gives you and what they actually contain.
"Clinical correlation is recommended": what it actually means
You found the phrase in your radiology report and it sounds like a warning. It is not. Here is who it is addressed to, why radiologists write it, and what it says about your results.
Keep readingDisc protrusion: what it means on your MRI report
It sounds like damage, and often it is not. Here is what a protrusion is, how it differs from a bulge and a herniation, and why healthy people who have never had back pain have them too.
Keep readingIncidental finding: what it means when your scan shows something extra
They scanned you for one thing and found another. That is what incidental means, it is common, and most of the time it is nothing. Here is what happens next and what to ask.
Keep readingHow to get your medical records and scan images
You have a legal right to a copy of your records, images included. Here is what to ask for, how long they can take, what they may charge, and what to do if they say no.
Keep readingHow to read an MRI report, section by section
Every radiology report follows the same structure. Once you know what each section is for, you can skip straight to the part that answers your question.
Keep readingThe hospital gave you a CD and it will not open. What to do
The disc with your scan comes with a viewer that will not start, or only runs on Windows. Here is what is actually on it and how to see it without installing anything.
Keep readingDICOM vs JPG: what you lose when you convert
A DICOM file and a JPG of the same scan look alike on screen but hold very different things. Here is what disappears in the conversion, and when it matters.
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