PET Scan Results Explained: What Your Radiology Report Means
A PET report describes metabolic activity — often measured as “SUV” uptake — combined with CT anatomy. Higher uptake is not automatically bad; inflammation and healing can also “light up.”
What is an PET?
A PET/CT scan uses a small amount of a radioactive tracer to show how active tissue is, layered on top of anatomical CT images. It is often used in cancer care and some neurological conditions.
Why this scan is usually ordered
- Staging or monitoring a known condition
- Evaluating an area of concern seen on another scan
- Assessing treatment response
Common PET findings, explained
The terms patients most often search after reading a PET report. Each links to a full, plain-English guide.
A lung nodule is a small, round spot in the lung. The large majority — especially small ones — are not cancer.
“Unremarkable” is good news. In radiology it means nothing abnormal or concerning stood out — essentially “normal.”
An incidental finding is something spotted by chance — unrelated to the reason for your scan. Most are benign and many need no follow-up at all.
“Correlate clinically” means the radiologist is asking your doctor to match the imaging with your symptoms and exam. It is routine wording, not a red flag.
Have an PET report in front of you?
Paste it in and we’ll explain every finding in plain English, with questions to bring to your doctor.