The short answer: the most important part of a radiology report is the Impression (sometimes called Conclusion) at the end — it is the radiologist’s summary answer to the question your doctor asked. The Findings section above it describes everything seen, including many observations that are normal for your age or irrelevant to your symptoms.
The standard structure of a report
- Clinical details / indication: the question your referring doctor asked — for example “right hip pain, ?labral tear”.
- Technique: what scan was performed and how (with or without contrast, sequences used).
- Comparison: whether previous imaging was available and compared.
- Findings: a systematic description of what the radiologist saw, organ by organ or structure by structure.
- Impression / conclusion: the summary — what matters, what it likely means, and often a recommendation for follow-up if needed.
Words that sound scarier than they are
Reports use precise language that can read as alarming out of context:
- “Unremarkable” means normal — it is a good word.
- “Degenerative changes” describes normal age-related wear, present in most adults over 40.
- “Incidental finding” is something unrelated to the reason for the scan; many are common and benign, though some need follow-up.
- “Cannot be excluded” means the scan cannot completely rule something out — not that it is likely.
- “Clinical correlation recommended” means your doctor should interpret the finding alongside your symptoms and examination.
Who explains the report to you?
Your referring doctor. Radiologists are specialist doctors who interpret the images and write for a medical audience; your GP or specialist puts the result into the context of your history and examination. Book a follow-up appointment to discuss any report rather than interpreting it alone — and take a copy of the report with you if you attended a different clinic than usual.
Getting your images and reports
Most Australian radiology providers give patients access to images and reports through online portals or apps, and your images are increasingly shared between clinics electronically. If you move between providers, tell the new clinic where previous imaging was done so the radiologist can compare.
Need a scan first? Compare radiology clinics across Australia on Imaging Finder, or read our guides on MRI vs CT and preparing for an ultrasound.
General information only, not medical advice. Always discuss your results with your referring doctor.
Choosing where to have your next scan? Compare radiology clinics in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
Author: Dr. Mark Bekhit
Dr Mark Bekhit (MBChB, FRANZCR) is a musculoskeletal radiologist practising in Brisbane and an AHPRA-registered specialist in diagnostic radiology (MED0002920947). He spends as much time building software as reading scans: he founded Imaging Finder (Australia) and Radiology Clinics NZ to make imaging easier to find, and builds radiology dictation and pain-tracking tools with one aim — better patient outcomes and a smoother reporting workflow. Outside the reading room he's usually training, bringing the same performance mindset to imaging.
Leave a Reply