Indeterminate: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Indeterminate

Also written as: indeterminate lesion, not fully characterized, equivocal

Indeterminate means the scan cannot tell whether a finding is clearly harmless or a concern. It often leads to another test or a later check.

Seen on: Any scan

How it reads in a report

There is a 1.4 cm indeterminate lesion in the upper pole of the right kidney; MRI is recommended for further characterization.

What it means

Radiologists sort many findings into likely harmless or worth a closer look. They use clues such as size, shape, density and how the finding takes up contrast dye. Indeterminate means this finding does not show enough of those clues on this scan. It may be too small to judge, or the scan may not be designed for that organ. Its features may also fit more than one answer.

When it matters

Indeterminate is not the same as suspicious. Many indeterminate findings turn out to be harmless once they are checked with the right test. The usual next step is a scan aimed at that question, such as MRI or ultrasound. Older images may also help, or a repeat scan later to see if it changes. Occasionally a biopsy, a small tissue sample, is needed for a firm answer.

Questions to ask your doctor

What would make this finding clearly harmless or clearly a concern?
Which test would best answer the question, and how soon?
Could an older scan show whether it has changed?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.