Incidental imaging finding

Incidental imaging findings refer to abnormalities or variations that are discovered unintentionally during medical imaging studies, such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or ultrasounds, which are primarily performed to evaluate a specific clinical concern or symptom. These findings are often unrelated to the patient's current medical issue and may not require further investigation or treatment. For example, a CT scan that was ordered to investigate abdominal pain might reveal a small kidney stone or a lung nodule that the patient wasn't aware of.