How to organize imaging reports from different hospitals

1. Collect the report and ask about the images

A radiology report is the radiologist’s written interpretation. The scan images are a separate part of the exam. Downloading a report PDF does not necessarily give you the images your next doctor may want to review. ACR and RSNA’s guide to obtaining and sharing medical images explains why access to both can matter when changing providers or seeking another opinion.

Start with each hospital or imaging center’s patient portal. If a report or exam is missing, contact its medical records or radiology department. Ask how to request the complete report and image set, and how those can be sent to your next care team. Available transfer methods differ between facilities.

A request can be specific without including your whole history:

“I’m collecting my imaging records for another appointment. How can I obtain the final report and complete images for my [exam type] on [exam date], including any report addendum?”

The facility will tell you what identifying information and request form it needs. HealthIT.gov’s guide to requesting health records describes the request process and questions to ask about delivery and costs.

2. Make one list of your imaging exams

Our suggested starting point is one row per exam. Use the date the exam was performed, and label the report date separately if it differs. Keep the exam name as written rather than trying to standardize unfamiliar terminology.

You can add the report filename, the portal or department to contact, and a note about where the images are stored. Keeping “requested” and “received” separate makes an unfinished records request easier to spot.

For your own folders, a consistent filename such as 2025-06-12_MRI-abdomen_Center-B.pdf can help. If an exam date is uncertain, mark it as uncertain instead of guessing.

3. Keep original reports and your notes separate

Save the full report, including its impression and any later addendum. Put your questions and appointment notes in a separate document so it stays clear which words came from the report and which are yours.

A useful note has a source: “Report dated June 12 recommends follow-up” is easier to check than “follow-up needed.” If your clinician gives you a plan, record who said it and when, alongside any written instructions they provide.

The report’s comparison section may name older exams used by the radiologist. It can help you identify records to request. See ACR and RSNA’s explanation of radiology report sections for more about comparison, findings and impression.

When a finding appears in several reports, keep the descriptions available together. If you are unsure whether two descriptions refer to the same finding, leave that as a question for your care team. Avoid turning your personal index into a new interpretation of the scans.

4. Check what the receiving office needs

Before the appointment, ask which exams the office wants and how it accepts outside images. A transfer request and a confirmed, accessible transfer are different steps. It is worth checking receipt while there is still time to resolve a missing file.

Keep your records in a protected location and use the receiving office’s preferred transfer method. Check the recipient and sharing permissions before sending a link. A screenshot of a portal page may be useful as a reminder, but it should not be your only copy of a complete report or exam.