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.
Many indeterminate findings turn out to be harmless.
It usually leads to a next step like follow-up imaging or a biopsy.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
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.
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.
Many turn out to be harmless
Indeterminate findings often turn out to be harmless once they are looked at more closely or watched over time. The word marks a question, not a verdict. Still, it cannot simply be dismissed, so care teams take the reasonable step of clarifying 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.
- A different type of scan, which may show features the first could not.
- 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? Also ask what the extra test is meant to show, so you 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.
Sources
Words to know
Tap any term to see what it means.
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. Many indeterminate findings turn out to be benign. 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. Many such findings prove benign. 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
Being prepared helps you get the most out of your appointments. Save or print these questions.
Tap a question to save it to your list (kept on this device).
Your next step
Plain-language definitions for the words on your report.
Speak With Trained Specialists & Human Navigators
Cancer Explained provides educational guidance, but does not replace trained specialists, social workers, or your medical team.
Talk to a trained cancer information specialist
Free, confidential assistance from NCI Cancer Information Service via phone, chat, or email.
Contact your oncology team
Locate after-hours contact numbers, portal messages, or urgent triage phone lines.
Find a patient navigator
Get one-on-one help with appointments, logistics, translation, and care coordination.
Find a genetic counselor
Discuss inherited mutation risk, family history, and genetic testing options.
Find an oncology social worker
Access emotional counseling, family support groups, and mental health resources.
Find a financial navigator
Locate copay assistance foundations, grant programs, and lodging/travel support.
Find a clinical-trial specialist
Search matching studies and speak with NCI trial information specialists.
Get urgent help
Immediate emergency guidance for fever (>100.4°F during chemo), severe pain, or shortness of breath.
Help Us Improve This Guide
Did this explanation answer your question and help you determine your next step?
Know someone who needs this?
Plenty of people are looking for something like this and do not know where to start. If this would help a friend or someone you love, send it on — we have written an opening line so you do not have to stare at an empty message. You can change every word of it.
Your message is written and sent in your own email or messaging app — we never see who you send it to, and nothing is added to any list.
Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Sources last checked: 2026-08-11 what this meansLast updated: 2026-08-11Next planned review: 2027-07-14
How this page was created
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. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work 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.
General education — varies by person. Answers genuinely differ between people. This page explains what commonly varies and points you to your care team for your situation.
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.
How this page was created
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. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work 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.
Read more about our editorial process, our use of AI, and our corrections policy.
Spotted a problem? Report an error — a factual mistake, broken or outdated source, confusing wording, or anything that seems unsafe. Please do not include names, medical record numbers, dates of birth, addresses, or other identifying medical information in your report.
After using this page, do you understand what to do next?
Anonymous — we only record the answer, never who gave it.
Related articles
Still have questions?
Educational answers, plain language
Free to print and share