Ultrasound Results Explained: What Your Radiology Report Means
Ultrasound reports describe organs and structures seen with sound waves. Findings like “cyst” or “nodule” are common and frequently benign — the report usually notes what, if anything, to do next.
What is an Ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses sound waves — no radiation — to image soft tissue and blood flow in real time. It is commonly used for the abdomen, pelvis, thyroid, and during pregnancy.
Why this scan is usually ordered
- Evaluating the abdomen, thyroid, or pelvis
- Checking a lump or swelling
- Assessing blood flow
- Pregnancy and gynecologic care
Common Ultrasound findings, explained
The terms patients most often search after reading a Ultrasound report. Each links to a full, plain-English guide.
“Unremarkable” is good news. In radiology it means nothing abnormal or concerning stood out — essentially “normal.”
A hypodense lesion is an area that looks darker than the surrounding tissue on a CT scan. In organs like the liver, most are benign — cysts or hemangiomas.
A pleural effusion is extra fluid in the thin space around a lung. Small effusions are common and have many causes, most of them treatable.
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 Ultrasound report in front of you?
Paste it in and we’ll explain every finding in plain English, with questions to bring to your doctor.