Inflammation
Inflammation is the body's response to injury, irritation, or infection and may cause swelling, pain, warmth, or structural change.
When to get help quickly: Inflammation can need urgent review when symptoms are severe, spreading quickly, associated with fever, or affecting vital organs.
Common symptoms
Inflammation may cause pain, swelling, warmth, redness, stiffness, fever, or tiredness depending on which part of the body is involved.
When imaging helps
Imaging helps when doctors need to find where inflammation is happening, how severe it is, and whether there are complications such as fluid collections or tissue damage.
What radiology does
Imaging can show edema, wall thickening, enhancement, fluid, enlarged nodes, or other changes that suggest active inflammation.
What usually happens next
Treatment depends on the cause and may include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory treatment, drainage, or other targeted care.
Seen this on your report?
Your doctor or the radiologist who wrote it can tell you what it means for you.
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Related scan guides
- Barium EnemaA Barium Enema (also called a Lower GI Series) is a special X-ray examination used to visualize the large intestine (colon) and rectum. It helps detect problems such as inflammation, narrowing, diverticula, or tumors...
- Orbit (Eye Socket) MRIAn Orbit MRI is a detailed scan of the eye sockets, optic nerves, eye muscles, and surrounding soft tissues. Doctors often request it for visual symptoms, proptosis, inflammation, and suspected orbital masses.
- Sacroiliac Joints MRIA Sacroiliac Joints MRI focuses on the two joints that connect your lower spine to your pelvis. It is the most reliable scan for detecting early inflammation in conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, often years before any damage shows up on an X-ray.