Common Reporting Phrases for Chest CT

The words used in a chest CT report are not merely stylistic choices. Using terms such as “ground-glass opacity,” “consolidation,” “reticulation,” “honeycombing,” and “traction...

RadPhrases Editorial TeamJuly 31, 20265 min read

Modular reporting phrases converging into a coherent radiology report at a clinical workstation

REPORTING PHRASES · CHEST CT

The words used in a chest CT report are not merely stylistic choices. Using terms such as “ground-glass opacity,” “consolidation,” “reticulation,” “honeycombing,” and “traction bronchiectasis” according to shared definitions improves consistency among clinicians and across follow-up examinations.

The examples below show how commonly encountered findings can be phrased. Follow-up and management recommendations should be determined separately according to age, risk factors, immune status, cancer history, examination indication, and current local or international guidelines.

Important usage note The sentences in this article are educational examples. Prefabricated text does not replace image review or the radiologist’s clinical judgment. Laterality, level, size, technical adequacy, comparison, and impression must be reverified for every case.

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Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Contrast-enhanced examination	Chest CT was acquired following intravenous contrast administration.
Noncontrast examination	The examination is noncontrast; characterization of mediastinal vascular structures and solid-organ lesions is limited.
Respiratory motion artifact	Respiratory motion artifact partially limits assessment, particularly of the basal segments of the lower lobes.
Suboptimal inspiration	Suboptimal inspiration may limit differentiation of dependent opacity from true parenchymal disease.
Comparison	Findings were compared with the chest CT dated ....

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Solid nodule	A solid pulmonary nodule with a mean diameter of ... mm is present in the apical segment of the right upper lobe.
Ground-glass nodule	There is a pure ground-glass nodule measuring ... mm in the left upper lobe.
Part-solid nodule	A part-solid nodule is present in the right lower lobe, measuring ... mm in total diameter with a ... mm solid component.
Morphology	The nodule has smooth/lobulated/spiculated margins; no internal calcification, fat, or cavitation is identified.
Comparison	The nodule is stable in size and morphology compared with the prior examination / demonstrates interval growth.
Multiple nodules	Multiple pulmonary nodules are present in both lungs, the largest measuring ... mm, with a ... distribution.
Mass	There is an irregular solid mass in the left upper lobe measuring approximately ... cm and associated with the bronchovascular structures.

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Ground-glass opacity	Multifocal ground-glass opacities are present in both lungs, with peripheral and lower-lobe predominance.
Consolidation	There is consolidation with air bronchograms in the posterior segment of the right lower lobe.
Crazy paving	Interlobular septal thickening and intralobular lines accompanying ground-glass opacity produce a crazy-paving pattern.
Perilobular distribution	Perilobular opacities are present in the lower lobes.
Dependent change	Dependent subsegmental atelectatic opacities are present posteriorly in both lower lobes.
Cavitation	A thick- and irregular-walled cavity is present within the area of right upper lobe consolidation.

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Reticulation	Reticular opacities are present in the bilateral basal and subpleural lungs.
Traction bronchiectasis	Traction bronchiectasis and bronchiolectasis accompany the reticulation.
Honeycombing	Stacked cystic air spaces in the bilateral basal subpleural lungs produce a honeycombing pattern.
Septal thickening	Smooth interlobular septal thickening is present in both lungs.
Distribution of fibrosis	Fibrotic changes have lower-lobe and subpleural predominance, with a clear apicobasal gradient.
Air trapping	Air trapping is present within areas of mosaic attenuation on expiratory images.

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Bronchial wall thickening	There is thickening of the central and segmental bronchial walls in both lungs.
Bronchiectasis	Cylindrical bronchiectasis is present in both lower lobes.
Mucus plugging	Mucus plugging is present in the segmental bronchi of the right lower lobe, with distal subsegmental atelectasis.
Tree-in-bud	Centrilobular nodules and a tree-in-bud pattern are present in the right upper lobe.
Endobronchial lesion	An endobronchial soft-tissue-attenuation lesion partially narrows the distal left main bronchus.
Trachea	The trachea and main bronchi are patent; no definite endoluminal lesion is identified.

Common Reporting Phrases for Chest CT

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Ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and air-space disease

Interstitial patterns and fibrotic changes

Airway findings

Mediastinum, lymph nodes, and cardiovascular structures

Pleura and chest wall

Quick check before signing the report

References

Clinical use note

Stop rewriting these phrases from scratch

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Lymph node	A right lower paratracheal lymph node measures ... mm in short axis.
No lymphadenopathy	No pathologically enlarged mediastinal or hilar lymph node is identified.
Aorta	Atherosclerotic wall calcifications are present in the thoracic aorta.
Pulmonary artery	The main pulmonary artery is enlarged; clinical and echocardiographic correlation for pulmonary hypertension may be considered.
Pericardium	A small pericardial effusion is present.
Heart	There is marked enlargement of the cardiac chambers / calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries.

Scenario / purpose	Example reporting phrase and usage note
Pleural effusion	There is a free right pleural effusion measuring up to ... mm in thickness.
Loculated effusion	A loculated fluid collection is present in the left posterolateral pleural space.
Pleural thickening	Bilateral apical pleuroparenchymal thickening is present.
Pneumothorax	A small right pneumothorax is present.
Chest wall	No acute destructive lesion is identified in the imaged osseous structures.
Soft tissue	A soft-tissue mass measuring ... is present in the left lateral chest wall.

Related calculators

Continue learning

Technical adequacy and comparison

Pulmonary nodule and mass phrases

Ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and air-space disease

Interstitial patterns and fibrotic changes

Airway findings

Mediastinum, lymph nodes, and cardiovascular structures

Pleura and chest wall

Quick check before signing the report

References

Clinical use note

Stop rewriting these phrases from scratch