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Decoding Your Radiology Report: A Patient's Guide

Dr. S. Bhayroo
Decoding Your Radiology Report: A Patient's Guide

Receiving a radiology report can feel intimidating. It's a technical document written by a specialist (a radiologist) for another specialist (your referring doctor). At Nu'Scan, we believe in empowering you with knowledge. This guide will help you understand the structure of your report, and how our unique AI-powered insights make it accessible to everyone.

What is a Radiology Report?

A radiology report is the official interpretation of your medical images. The radiologist carefully analyzes your scans and documents their observations, which are then sent to your doctor. It's a crucial tool for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Key Sections of Your Report

Most reports follow a standard structure. Here's what the main sections mean:

  1. Clinical History: This section provides context. It briefly describes your symptoms or the reason your doctor ordered the scan (e.g., "Persistent cough for three weeks" or "Follow-up on left knee injury"). This tells the radiologist what specific issues to look for.

  2. Technique/Procedure: This part details how the scan was performed. It might mention the type of machine used, whether a contrast agent (a special dye to enhance visibility) was administered, and which parts of the body were imaged.

  3. Findings: This is the core of the report. The radiologist describes, in objective and technical terms, exactly what they see in the images. They will describe the size, shape, and characteristics of organs and any tissues that appear abnormal. This section is often the most difficult for patients to understand due to its clinical language.

  4. Impression/Comment: This is the radiologist's conclusion. After detailing the findings, they provide a summary of the most important issues and what they likely mean. This is the "bottom line" of the report and directly addresses the clinical question asked by your doctor.

How Nu'Scan's AI Helps

This is where the Nu'Scan difference truly shines. We use state-of-the-art AI to bridge the gap between the technical report and your understanding. Our patient portal provides:

  • Plain-Language Explanations: Our AI analyzes the "Findings" and "Impression" sections and translates the complex terms into simple, easy-to-understand language.
  • Highlighted Anomalies: The AI identifies the key findings that may require further discussion and presents them clearly.
  • Suggested Questions: To help you prepare for your follow-up appointment, the AI generates a list of relevant questions to ask your doctor, ensuring you can have a more informed and productive conversation about your health.

By combining expert radiologist analysis with powerful AI translation, we ensure that you are not just a passive recipient of data, but an active, informed participant in your healthcare journey.