What To Do When an ER Scan Finds Something You Weren’t Looking For
Brody W Hingst, MD
Emergency Medicine
Trips to the emergency room are an unfortunate but not uncommon part of life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 155 million of these trips are made every year.
As part of those visits, millions of CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds are ordered to diagnose possible issues like appendicitis or head trauma.
Since these tests scan a full region of the body, they sometimes turn up some unexpected findings as well. It can be scary to find that you have a lung nodule, kidney stones or other potential problems lurking in your body.
But what should you actually do with this information? How can you tell when something is truly serious or harmless?
How Often Do ER Scans Reveal Unexpected Findings?
It’s not uncommon for an ER scan to pick up something you weren’t looking for. Around 15 percent to 30 percent of CT scans of the chest or abdomen result in what’s called an incidental finding.
Some of the most common findings in this group are:
- Lung and thyroid nodules
- Liver cysts
- Kidney cysts
- Adrenal cysts
The good news is that it’s very rare for these findings to turn out to be something serious. According to one study, for example, upwards of 95 percent of lung nodules are found to be benign.
When you receive a scan in the ER and the radiologist notices something like a nodule or cyst, they’ll make a note of it in your test results. In most cases, no immediate action is required. You may be told to follow up with your primary care physician or to simply have a repeat scan in several months or a year.
There may be no need for a follow-up at all in many instances.
What Happens When an ER Scan Finds Something Serious?
While rare, there are times when an ER scan discovers something that needs closer examination. It can naturally be anxiety-inducing to find out that an MRI or CT scan picked up something suspicious, but these tests provide important information and can assist with the early detection of cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
If this does happen, your primary care physician will be alerted and more tests such as a biopsy may be performed.
You also won’t be left in the dark. Your ER doctor will explain the findings and help you understand your next steps and follow-up options.
What Terms from an ER Scan Mean
If you’re not familiar with ER tests or haven’t had a CT scan or MRI before, one of the scariest parts of getting results back in the ER can be seeing that something unusual was found but not being sure what it means.
For something that isn’t concerning, like a small lung nodule, your test results may include a note listing it as either simple or benign.
If something potentially serious does pop up, it will likely be marked as “suspicious.”
Keep in mind that radiologists read thousands of these test results day after day. They’re very good at telling the difference between something harmless and something that requires a follow-up.
If you’re nervous about a finding while in the ER that’s unrelated to what you came in for, remember that you can ask your ER doctor for more information. They’ll likely tell you everything you need to know about it anyway, but don’t be afraid to ask specific or follow-up questions if you aren’t sure exactly what it means for you.
It’s never a fun experience when a test result returns something you weren’t expecting, but it’s a common reality of ER testing. Just keep in mind that the vast majority of these findings are nothing that should cause concerns, and that any more serious findings will immediately be referred to your doctor for follow-up and additional testing.
This content is not AI generated.
