What does your test result mean?
You have a laboratory or imaging report in your hand and one line in it has worried you. The pages below set out what that line can mean, what it does not show on its own, and what is usually done next. None of it is a diagnosis; go through your own result with your own physician.
These pages do not make a diagnosis
A single laboratory or imaging result does not on its own show that a disease is present, or that it is absent. What it means is weighed together with how far the value has moved, your symptoms, the examination, the medicines you take and your earlier results. The pages below are to help you prepare for that assessment, not to stand in for it.Blood, stool and imaging results
- A Positive Faecal Occult Blood Test: What Does It Mean? Positive occult blood in stool · Blood in stool test positive · Positive FIT test · Faecal immunochemical test positive · Haemoglobin found in stool A positive faecal occult blood test shows that blood, in an amount too small to see, has been found in the stool. On its own this result does not mean you have bowel cancer.
- Raised Amylase and Lipase: What Does It Mean? Raised amylase · Raised lipase · High pancreatic enzymes · Why is lipase high? · Why is amylase high? · Pancreatitis blood test Amylase and lipase are enzymes used above all in assessing disease of the pancreas. A raised level of either, or of both, is not on its own a diagnosis of pancreatitis.
- A Raised Faecal Calprotectin: What Does It Mean? Raised faecal calprotectin · High calprotectin in stool · Calprotectin test · Why does calprotectin rise? · What should calprotectin be? Faecal calprotectin is a test that helps assess whether there is an inflammatory process in the bowel. A raised level is not on its own a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
- A Positive HBsAg: What Does It Mean? HBsAg positive · Hepatitis B test positive · Hepatitis B carrier · Do I have hepatitis B? · What does HBsAg positive mean? A positive HBsAg is an important finding suggesting infection with the hepatitis B virus. On its own it does not mean chronic hepatitis, liver damage, or that medication has to be started at once.
- A Positive Anti-HCV: What Does It Mean? Anti-HCV positive · Hepatitis C test positive · What does HCV positive mean? · Do I have hepatitis C? · What is HCV RNA? A positive anti-HCV shows that you may have come into contact with the hepatitis C virus. On its own it does not mean you have an active hepatitis C infection; an HCV RNA test is needed for that.
- A Raised Bilirubin: What Does It Mean? Raised bilirubin · High total bilirubin · High direct bilirubin · High indirect bilirubin · Why does bilirubin rise? · What causes jaundice? A raised bilirubin can show a change at one of the stages of its production, its processing by the liver or its removal through the bile. It is not on its own a diagnosis of liver disease or a blocked bile duct.
- A Low or High Iron and Ferritin: What Does It Mean? Low ferritin · High ferritin · Low iron · High iron · Why do iron stores fall? · What should ferritin be? · Iron deficiency · Iron deficiency anaemia Serum iron and ferritin are both used to assess the body’s iron status, but they do not show the same thing. A low ferritin suggests iron stores have fallen; a high ferritin does not always mean too much iron.
- A Low Vitamin B12: What Does It Mean? Low B12 · Vitamin B12 deficiency · Why does B12 fall? · Symptoms of B12 deficiency · B12 malabsorption · What should B12 be? A low B12 does not come only from an inadequate diet. Sometimes it is one of the first signs of a problem with absorption in the stomach or small bowel.
- Raised Tumour Markers: What Does It Mean? Raised CEA · Raised CA 19-9 · High CA-125 · High AFP · What is a tumour marker? · Cancer blood test Markers such as CEA, CA 19-9, CA-125 and AFP can rise in some cancers, but they also rise in many conditions that are not cancer. A raised tumour marker is not a diagnosis of cancer.
- My Liver Tests Came Back High: What Does It Mean? Raised liver enzymes · High ALT · High AST · High GGT · High ALP · Abnormal liver tests · Why do liver values rise? A raised ALT, AST, GGT or ALP is not a diagnosis but a laboratory finding whose cause needs looking into. What matters is less any single number than the pattern the tests make together.
- Common Words in Ultrasound, CT and MRI Reports: What Do They Mean? How do I read an ultrasound report? · What does lesion mean on a CT report? · Signal change on an MRI report · Hypodense lesion · Hyperechoic lesion · Cystic lesion · Solid lesion · What does dilatation mean? · What does lymph node mean? Seeing "lesion", "mass", "hypodense area", "dilatation" or "lymph node" in a report does not on its own mean cancer or a serious condition. An imaging report is a whole.
- A Dilated Common Bile Duct on Ultrasound, MRI or MRCP: What Does It Mean? Dilated common bile duct · Bile duct dilatation · Widened bile duct · What should the bile duct diameter be? · Bile duct dilatation on MRCP · Dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts A dilated bile duct is not on its own a diagnosis. The most important question is not only "how many millimetres?" but "why is it wide?"
- A Dilated Pancreatic Duct: What Does It Mean? Dilated pancreatic duct · Wide duct of Wirsung · Main pancreatic duct dilatation · Pancreatic duct dilatation on MRCP · What should the pancreatic duct diameter be? · What is the double duct sign? A wide pancreatic duct does not on its own mean pancreatic cancer. What matters in the assessment is not only the duct diameter but the shape of the duct and how it changes over time.
- A Cyst Was Found in the Pancreas: What Does It Mean? Pancreatic cyst · Cystic lesion in the pancreas · Pancreatic cyst on MRI · Is a pancreatic cyst dangerous? · What is IPMN? · Is a pancreatic cyst cancer? · At what size is a pancreatic cyst dangerous? Finding a cyst in the pancreas does not mean you have pancreatic cancer. The real question is not "is there a cyst?" but "what type is this cyst and what are its risk features?"
What an endoscopy report says
- My Endoscopy Report Says Gastritis: What Does It Mean? Gastritis found on endoscopy · What is gastritis? · Antral gastritis · Pangastritis · Erosive gastritis · Chronic gastritis · Is gastritis cancer? · Why is a biopsy taken in gastritis? · Helicobacter pylori gastritis Gastritis is not cancer. But "antral", "pangastritis", "erosive" and "atrophic" in a report are not the same thing — where the gastritis is, how it looks and why it is there all matter.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Erythema / Hyperaemia: What Does It Mean? Erythema in the stomach · Hyperaemic gastric mucosa · Erythematous gastritis · Antral hyperaemia · Erythema in the oesophagus · Redness of the stomach lining Erythema and hyperaemia describe a lining that looks redder than normal. Neither is on its own a diagnosis.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Erosive Gastritis: What Does It Mean? What is erosive gastritis? · Erosions in the stomach · Antral erosion · Erosive gastropathy · Erosion of the stomach lining · Is erosive gastritis dangerous? Small, superficial losses of tissue seen together with redness on the inner surface of the stomach. It is not cancer, and not the same thing as an ulcer; but erosions can sometimes bleed.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Atrophic Gastritis: What Does It Mean? What is atrophic gastritis? · Atrophy in the stomach · Antral atrophy · Atrophy of the corpus · Autoimmune gastritis · Is atrophic gastritis cancer? A chronic change in which the normal glands of the stomach lining decrease over time. It is not cancer, but it is different from ordinary redness of the stomach.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Intestinal Metaplasia: What Does It Mean? Intestinal metaplasia in the stomach · Gastric intestinal metaplasia · Is intestinal metaplasia cancer? · Does intestinal metaplasia turn into cancer? · How long before intestinal metaplasia becomes cancer? · Follow-up for intestinal metaplasia Intestinal metaplasia is not stomach cancer, and the great majority of people who have it never develop stomach cancer. But it should not be dismissed as unimportant either.
- A Polyp Was Found in My Stomach: What Does It Mean? Polyp in the stomach · What is a gastric polyp? · Fundic gland polyp · Hyperplastic polyp · Gastric adenoma · Is a stomach polyp cancer? · Should a stomach polyp be removed? Finding a stomach polyp does not mean you have stomach cancer. What really matters is not that "there is a polyp" but its type, size, appearance and pathology result.
- A Gastric Ulcer Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Gastric ulcer · Stomach ulcer · A sore in the stomach · Peptic ulcer · Is a stomach ulcer cancer? · Why is a biopsy taken from a stomach ulcer? Most gastric ulcers are benign and heal with appropriate treatment. But because some stomach cancers can also look like an ulcer, biopsy matters.
- A Duodenal Ulcer Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Duodenal ulcer · Ulcer of the duodenum · Bulbar ulcer · Peptic ulcer · A sore in the duodenum · Is a duodenal ulcer cancer? A deep loss of tissue in the lining of the duodenum. Typical duodenal ulcers are not cancer — an important difference from gastric ulcer.
- A Hiatal Hernia Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Hiatal hernia · Hiatus hernia · Sliding hernia · Paraoesophageal hernia · Does a hiatal hernia cause reflux? The upper part of the stomach has moved up through the opening in the diaphragm towards the chest. It is quite common, it is not cancer, and most need no particular treatment.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Oesophagitis: What Does It Mean? What is oesophagitis? · Reflux oesophagitis · Erosive oesophagitis · Inflammation of the oesophagus · LA Grade A-B-C-D · Is oesophagitis cancer? Inflammation and damage to the inner surface of the oesophagus. Its most common cause is reflux; it is not cancer, and most heal with appropriate treatment.
- Los Angeles Grade A–B–C–D Oesophagitis: What Does It Mean? LA Grade A oesophagitis · LA Grade B reflux · LA Grade C oesophagitis · LA Grade D oesophagitis · Los Angeles classification · Erosive reflux oesophagitis The standard classification describing the endoscopic severity of the erosions reflux causes in the oesophagus. From A to D the extent of the damage increases; these letters are not cancer stages.
- My Endoscopy Report Says the Z-Line Is Irregular: What Does It Mean? Irregular Z-line · Irregular Z line · Irregularity of the gastro-oesophageal junction · Is an irregular Z-line Barrett’s? The border where the lining of the oesophagus meets that of the stomach shows small indentations and projections. It is very common, it is not cancer, and it does not on its own mean Barrett’s oesophagus.
- My Endoscopy Report Says the Cardia Is Lax: What Does It Mean? Lax cardia · Loose cardia · Lax gastro-oesophageal junction · Patulous cardia · Lax lower oesophageal sphincter · Hill Grade The antireflux barrier between the oesophagus and the stomach does not look tight enough at endoscopy. It is not cancer, and on its own it does not make a diagnosis of reflux disease.
- Bile Was Seen in My Stomach at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Bile in the stomach · Bile reflux · Duodenogastric reflux · Alkaline reflux gastritis · Bile gastritis · Reactive gastropathy Bile-containing fluid from the duodenum has flowed back into the stomach. It is not cancer, and seeing it on its own does not make a diagnosis of alkaline reflux gastritis.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Pangastritis or Antral Gastritis: What Does It Mean? What is antral gastritis? · What is pangastritis? · Widespread gastritis in the stomach · Gastritis in the antrum · Is pangastritis dangerous? · Is antral gastritis cancer? These words describe which regions of the stomach lining show the changes of gastritis. Extent and severity are not the same thing, and neither word on its own means cancer.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Nodular Gastritis: What Does It Mean? Nodular gastritis · Nodular appearance in the stomach · Nodularity in the antrum · Goose-flesh appearance · H. pylori gastritis The inner surface of the stomach contains many small bumps instead of looking smooth. It is not cancer; it is strongly associated with H. pylori infection.
- My Endoscopy Report Says Duodenitis: What Does It Mean? What is duodenitis? · Inflammation of the duodenum · Bulbitis · Erosive duodenitis · Redness in the duodenum · Is duodenitis dangerous? Inflammation and damage in the lining of the duodenum. It is not cancer; what really matters is determining the underlying cause.
- Blunted Villi / Scalloping in the Duodenum: Is It Coeliac Disease? Loss of villi in the duodenum · Blunted villi · Villous atrophy · Scalloping in the duodenum · Endoscopic findings of coeliac disease The absorptive projections of the small bowel look shortened or lost. It suggests coeliac disease, but coeliac disease cannot be diagnosed from the endoscopic picture alone.
- A Subepithelial Lesion Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? What is a subepithelial lesion? · Submucosal lesion · Submucosal tumour · Subepithelial mass in the stomach · GIST · Lipoma · A bulge seen at endoscopy A structure beneath the lining bulges outwards while the inner surface looks normal. A large proportion are harmless; the real question is which layer of the wall it arises from.
- Oesophageal or Gastric Varices Were Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Oesophageal varices · Gastric varices · Varices in the oesophagus · Fundal varices · Portal hypertension · Variceal bleeding · Variceal banding The veins in the wall of the oesophagus or stomach have widened and become prominent. They are not cancer; they matter as an endoscopic finding because of the risk of bleeding.
- Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? Portal hypertensive gastropathy · PHG · Mosaic appearance in the stomach · Snakeskin appearance · Portal hypertension · Stomach findings in cirrhosis Widening of the vessels in the stomach lining due to raised portal pressure. It is not cancer; what matters most is that it can cause chronic blood loss and anaemia.
- GAVE Was Found at Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? GAVE · Gastric antral vascular ectasia · Watermelon stomach · Red stripes in the antrum · Argon plasma coagulation · APC Widening of the surface vessels in the antrum of the stomach, also known as "watermelon stomach". It is not cancer; its most important problem is chronic blood loss and iron deficiency anaemia.
- A Biopsy Was Taken at My Endoscopy: What Does It Mean? A biopsy was taken from my stomach · A sample was taken at endoscopy · Why is a biopsy taken? · Does a biopsy mean cancer? · When does the pathology result come back? A small tissue sample taken during endoscopy is examined under the microscope. Taking a biopsy does not mean cancer was suspected; it is a very common part of endoscopy.
- My Endoscopy Is Normal but My Symptoms Continue: What Does It Mean? My endoscopy is normal but I still have symptoms · Endoscopy came back normal · Normal gastroscopy but stomach pain · Functional dyspepsia · Endoscopy-negative reflux · NERD A normal endoscopy is a good finding, but it does not mean there is no cause for your symptoms. What matters is not having more tests but choosing the right test for the right symptom.