What it means
Malignant describes cancer: cells that grow out of control, can invade nearby tissue and can spread to other parts of the body. Scans show shape, size and behavior, not the cells themselves. So radiologists usually write phrases such as "suspicious for malignancy" or "highly suggestive of malignancy" to describe how likely cancer is, rather than stating it as fact.
When it matters
These phrases usually lead to more tests and are not a final diagnosis. Some findings that look suspicious turn out to be infection, inflammation or a harmless growth. The usual next step is a biopsy, sometimes with other scans such as PET-CT to see whether anything else is involved. A team of specialists then uses all of this to plan care.
Questions to ask your doctor
- How likely is cancer, based on what the scan shows?
- What else could this be, other than cancer?
- What is the next step, and how soon should it happen?
