Heterogeneous
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
Uneven in appearance — the brightness or density varies from place to place inside the same structure. Some tissues are normally heterogeneous, so on its own the word describes a texture, not a problem.
Where you’ll see this
The findings, describing an organ, a mass or an area of tissue.
Your report may word it “Heterogeneously” or “Mixed appearance”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- In plain terms, how big or how serious is what you are describing?
- Does this description point to one likely cause, or several?
- Does anything here explain the symptoms I came in with?
How a finding is described
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.