How to translate your radiology report and DICOM scan into plain language

Radiology reports are written for doctors, not patients. You leave an imaging center with a dense PDF full of medical jargon and a disc packed with raw DICOM files. Pasting medical terminology into search engines often yields confusing results. Standard general chatbots fail at this task because they only evaluate flat screenshots. They miss anatomical context, series sequence, and true volume geometry.

Read Your Scan processes raw scan data differently. It combines client-side data privacy, structured report translation, WebGL rendering, and full-volume processing. Here is how to unpack an unreadable radiology disc and extract clear, actionable findings before your next medical appointment.

Step 1: Process files securely in your browser

Medical imaging files contain sensitive patient details. DICOM headers store your full name, birth date, facility details, and equipment identifiers. Processing these files online requires strict privacy controls.

The browser de-identifies medical data locally on your device before uploading anything across the network. Personal identifiers are stripped prior to transmission to maintain GDPR compliance. You do not need to convert files manually before starting. You can upload DICOM directories, NIfTI volumes, X-rays, or standard JPG and PNG images. PDF copies of your written radiology report can be dropped into the interface simultaneously.

Step 2: Map the report into severity bands

Once uploaded, the system parses the written text of your radiology report alongside your images. Report mapping and severity scoring are free and require no credit card or account setup.

Instead of dumping unstructured text back at you, findings are categorized into three clear severity bands:

• Normal: Expected findings, clear lungs, or age-appropriate tissue wear that requires no clinical intervention.
• Needs attention: Minor meniscal tears, mild disc bulges, or moderate changes that warrant monitoring.
• Significant: Structural changes, spinal cord compression, or notable lesions requiring prompt specialist follow-up.

The output includes an overall severity score ranging from 0 to 100 percent. The summary echoes the report’s own wording directly. It does not invent new clinical judgments or speculate beyond what the original radiologist recorded.

Step 3: Render the 3D volume directly in your browser

Most basic web tools only let you flip through flat 2D image slices. That makes it hard to see how a spinal disc presses on a nerve or how a joint wears down over time.

A built-in WebGL browser viewer renders complete 3D volumes directly in your browser window. No software installation is required, and you do not need to create an account to view your images.

You can rotate, zoom, and inspect your scan slices immediately. Plain-language findings from your report are pinned directly to specific anatomical locations on the image. Selecting a specific finding highlights the corresponding tissue region on the scan.

Step 4: Run Deep Analysis on complete DICOM series

A single compressed screenshot does not tell the full story of an MRI or CT exam. A full diagnostic study contains multiple series taken across different planes and pulse sequences.

For complex cases, the $9 Deep Analysis option evaluates the entire DICOM or NIfTI volume series by series. While general chatbots guess image orientation from a flat picture, Deep Analysis reads the scan's own spatial geometry. It identifies the imaging plane, slice thickness, and left-right orientation directly from the file structure.

The system routes your study to specific vision and language models based on measured performance. Flat X-rays and volumetric MRIs require different analytical strengths. The backend selects between models like MedGemma 1.5, Claude Opus, and Gemini depending on which option yields the most accurate reading for your specific scan type.

Step 5: Prepare your questions for clinical follow-up

Translating a report is not a substitute for clinical care. All tools on the platform are strictly informational and do not provide a medical diagnosis.

Use the translation to prepare for your next consultation. When report findings fall into the amber or red severity bands, you have a clear roadmap for your appointment. Bring the 3D volume, the plain-language breakdowns, and your prioritized questions directly to your physician.