What it means
Many findings could be explained by more than one condition. The differential diagnosis lists the ones the radiologist considers reasonable. It is based on how the finding looks, where it is and what is known about you. The list is often ordered with the most likely first. Words like "favored" or "less likely" show how the radiologist ranks them.
When it matters
A list of possibilities is not a list of things you have. Often one item is far more likely than the rest, and the others are named so they are not overlooked. Your doctor narrows the list using your symptoms, blood tests, older scans or a more targeted scan. Sometimes a biopsy, a small tissue sample, is the only way to decide.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Which possibility on the list is most likely in my case, and why?
- What test would tell these possibilities apart?
- Can my history or older scans rule any of them out?
