Mild, moderate, severe
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
A radiologist's three-step scale for how much of something there is. The grading is a visual judgement rather than a measurement, so two radiologists can reasonably differ by a step — and severity on a picture does not always match severity in symptoms.
Where you’ll see this
Attached to almost any finding that comes in degrees: narrowing, arthritis, swelling, thickening.
Your report may word it “Minimal”, “Marked” or “Advanced”. 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
Upload your scan (de-identified in your browser) and your radiologist’s report, and every finding is mapped onto the images, explained in plain language and scored. Informational only — not a diagnosis.
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.