The short answer
'Indeterminate' means a finding is unclear on the scan — not clearly harmless, but not clearly cancer either. It is a statement of uncertainty, and it usually leads to a next step like follow-up imaging, a different scan, or a biopsy.
'Indeterminate' means a finding is unclear — neither clearly benign nor clearly cancer.
It is a statement of uncertainty, not a diagnosis.
It usually leads to a next step like follow-up imaging or a biopsy.
Your care team can explain how concerning a specific finding is.
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The short version
Seeing "indeterminate" on a scan report is frustrating. It withholds the yes-or-no answer you were hoping for. That is, in a sense, exactly what the word is telling you. Indeterminate means a finding is unclear: not clearly harmless, but not clearly cancer either. This page explains why that happens and what usually comes next.
Why a finding can be unclear
Scans do not always give crisp answers. A spot might be too small to characterize, too subtle, or have features that sit between "clearly benign" and "clearly concerning." When the picture is genuinely in between, a radiologist says so. Reporting it as indeterminate beats guessing in either direction.
It helps to remember that "indeterminate" is not the same as "suspicious." Suspicious leans toward concern. Indeterminate leans neither way. It is a flag for uncertainty.
A question, not a verdict
The word marks a question, not an answer. It cannot simply be dismissed, so care teams take steps to clarify it.
What usually comes next
To resolve the uncertainty, your care team may recommend:
- Follow-up imaging after a set interval, to see whether the finding grows, shrinks, or stays stable.
- Other imaging tests that can help assess the finding.
- Comparison with older scans, including ones done at another facility.
- A biopsy, when tissue is needed for a definite answer.
The choice depends on the specific finding, its location, and your overall situation.
What to ask
The word itself does not tell you how worried to be. So ask your care team directly:
- How concerning is this finding in my case?
- What would help clarify it?
- How soon should the next step happen?
- What is the extra test meant to show, so I know what to expect?
Their read of the finding, alongside your history and other results, is what applies to you.
If you develop new or worsening symptoms while you wait for the next step, do not sit on them. Call your care team and describe what changed. For severe symptoms, such as trouble breathing or heavy bleeding, call 911.
Sources
Common questions
Does indeterminate mean cancer?
No. Indeterminate means a finding is unclear — the scan cannot say whether it is harmless or something to worry about. It signals uncertainty and usually leads to more checking.
Why can't the scan give a clear answer?
A finding might be too small, too subtle, or have features that overlap between harmless and concerning. When the picture is not definite, the radiologist reports it as indeterminate rather than forcing a conclusion.
What happens after an indeterminate result?
It usually points toward a next step to clarify, such as follow-up imaging after some time to see if it changes, a different type of scan, or a biopsy. What is recommended depends on the finding and your situation.
How worried should I be about an indeterminate finding?
Understandably, uncertainty is stressful, but 'indeterminate' does not confirm anything. The most helpful step is to ask your care team how concerning this specific finding is and what the plan is.
Questions to ask your doctor
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More words from this kind of report
Other guides in scan & imaging reports.
Your next step
Plain-language definitions for the words on your report.
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Sources last checked: 2026-10-02 what this meansLast updated: 2026-10-02Next planned review: 2027-07-14
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Editorial review complete — This page completed Cancer Explained's editorial checks (sources, safety, plain language, duplication). It has not been reviewed by a physician or other healthcare professional.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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