Understanding Your MRI Report (Mira Clarity)

You get your MRI results back and the report reads like it was written in another language. "Moderate broad-based disc protrusion at L4/L5 with bilateral foraminal stenosis and displacement of the traversing L5 nerve roots." What does that actually mean? Is it serious? Should you be worried? This is the problem miraclarity solves. Every Mira scan includes a plain English report that explains your MRI results in words you can actually understand. Book your scan with Mira and get two reports: one for your doctor, one for you.

Why MRI Reports Are Hard to Understand

MRI reports are written by radiologists for other doctors. They use standardised medical terminology that is precise, unambiguous, and efficient for clinical communication. This is the right approach for physician-to-physician communication, but it creates a significant problem for patients.

• Technical vocabulary: Terms like "T2 hyperintensity," "enhancement," "stenosis," and "effusion" have specific meanings that are not obvious to non-medical readers.
• Neutral language for concerning findings: Radiologists describe what they see objectively. A tumour might be described as a "mass lesion with heterogeneous enhancement." The word "cancer" may not appear even when the finding is suspicious.
• Alarming language for benign findings: Conversely, benign findings can sound frightening. "Degenerative disc disease" sounds serious but describes normal age-related wear. "Signal abnormality" can describe anything from a harmless cyst to a tumour.
• No context provided: A standard report states what was found but does not explain what it means for the patient, whether it is common, or what should happen next.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found that fewer than 50% of patients could correctly interpret their own imaging reports, even when they had been discussed with a physician.

What Is Mira Clarity?

miraclarity is a patient-facing report included free with every Mira scan. It takes the findings from your standard medical report and translates them into plain English that anyone can understand. It is not a separate analysis or a second opinion. It is the same findings, communicated differently.

What Mira Clarity Includes

• Plain English explanations: Every finding from the medical report is restated in clear, non-technical language. No jargon, no abbreviations, no assumed knowledge.
• Visual body guides: Diagrams showing the exact location of each finding in your body. If your report mentions "the posterior horn of the medial meniscus," the body guide shows you exactly where that is in your knee.
• Severity indicators: Each finding is categorised using a simple three-level system: normal (no action needed), monitor (worth keeping an eye on but not currently concerning), or attention (discuss with your doctor).
• Contextual information: How common the finding is, whether it is age-related, and what it typically means in clinical practice.
• Recommended next steps: General guidance on what you might want to discuss with your physician based on the findings.
• Glossary of terms: Key medical terms from your report defined in plain language.

miraclarity is not a replacement for medical advice. It does not diagnose conditions or prescribe treatment. It is a communication tool that bridges the gap between the radiologist report and patient understanding.

Common MRI Report Terms Explained

Here are some of the most common terms you will encounter in MRI reports, and what they actually mean.

How Mira Clarity Translates Your Report

Here are examples of how miraclarity translates standard medical report language into plain English.

Spine MRI Example

Medical report: "There is a broad-based disc protrusion at L4/L5 causing moderate bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. The thecal sac is mildly compressed. Mild facet joint hypertrophy at L4/L5 and L5/S1. No evidence of cauda equina compression."

miraclarity: "A disc in your lower back (between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae) is bulging outward. This bulge is narrowing the channels where nerves exit your spine on both sides, which can cause pain, numbness, or tingling in your legs. The main spinal channel is slightly squeezed but not severely. The small joints at the back of your lower spine show some wear. There is no compression of the bundle of nerves at the bottom of your spine (which would be an emergency). Severity: Attention - discuss with your doctor."

Knee MRI Example

Medical report: "Grade 2 signal in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus without surface extension. Small joint effusion. Intact cruciate and collateral ligaments. Mild chondral thinning of the medial femoral condyle."

miraclarity: "There is early wear in the inner cartilage pad on the inside of your knee. This does not extend to the surface and is not a tear. It is commonly found in adults over 30 as part of normal ageing. There is a small amount of fluid in your knee joint, suggesting mild irritation or inflammation. All four major knee ligaments (including the ACL) are intact and normal. The smooth cartilage on the inside of your thigh bone at the knee is slightly thinner than normal, suggesting early wear. Severity: Monitor - not urgent, but worth mentioning at your next appointment."

Brain MRI Example

Medical report: "A few scattered non-specific T2/FLAIR hyperintensities in the periventricular and subcortical white matter. No mass lesion. No acute infarct. No hydrocephalus. Normal flow voids."

miraclarity: "A few small bright spots were found in the white matter of your brain, near the fluid-filled chambers and just beneath the surface. These are extremely common, especially after age 40, and are usually related to normal ageing or mild blood vessel changes. They are NOT tumours and are NOT related to dementia in the vast majority of cases. No tumour, stroke, or abnormal fluid buildup was found. Blood flow in the brain looks normal. Severity: Normal - no action needed."

The Severity Indicator System

One of the most valuable features of miraclarity is the severity indicator system. Every finding is categorised into one of three levels.

This system prevents the anxiety spiral that happens when patients see "abnormal" findings without context. A simple kidney cyst labelled "normal" causes zero anxiety. The same finding labelled only as a "renal lesion" in a standard report can cause weeks of worry.

Visual Body Guides: Seeing Where Your Findings Are

Text descriptions of finding locations can be confusing. "The posterior horn of the medial meniscus" means nothing to most people. Visual body guides solve this by showing you exactly where each finding is located on an anatomical diagram.

• Spine findings: A diagram of the spine with the affected level highlighted and labelled. You can see exactly which disc, vertebra, or nerve is involved.
• Knee findings: An illustration of the knee showing ligaments, menisci, and cartilage surfaces. Affected structures are highlighted.
• Brain findings: A cross-section of the brain showing where spots, lesions, or other changes are located.
• Abdomen findings: A diagram showing organ locations with the affected area highlighted.

These visual guides are designed to be intuitive. You do not need any medical knowledge to understand where a finding is located in your body.

How to Use Your MRI Results

Having two reports gives you a clear pathway for next steps.

• Read your miraclarity report first. Understand what was found, where it is, and how significant it is.
• Check the severity indicators. Normal findings need no action. Monitor findings should be mentioned at your next routine appointment. Attention findings warrant a dedicated appointment with your doctor.
• Share the medical report with your doctor. This gives them the clinical detail and standard terminology they need to make decisions about your care.
• Prepare questions. The miraclarity report gives you the vocabulary to ask informed questions: "The report mentions moderate foraminal stenosis at L4/L5. What treatment options should I consider?"
• Keep both reports for your records. They create a baseline for comparison if you have future scans.

Mira Clarity vs Standard MRI Reporting

When to Seek Urgent Medical Attention

While most MRI findings are non-urgent, some require prompt medical attention. Mira will contact you directly if the radiologist identifies an urgent finding. However, you should also know the warning signs.

• Any finding labelled "attention" in your miraclarity report should be discussed with your doctor promptly.
• If your symptoms suddenly worsen after the scan (before results are back), seek immediate medical care regardless of pending results.
• Findings suggesting cauda equina syndrome, stroke, or tumour with mass effect are treated as urgent by the reporting radiologist.
• If you are unsure whether a finding is urgent, contact the Mira team for guidance.

Sharing Your MRI Results With Your Doctor

Both Mira reports are delivered digitally and can be shared with any healthcare provider.

• GP / Primary care physician: Share both reports. The medical report integrates into your medical records. The miraclarity report helps you discuss findings in the appointment.
• Specialist (orthopaedic surgeon, neurologist, urologist): Share the medical report. Specialists work directly from the standard clinical findings.
• Physiotherapist / osteopath / chiropractor: Share both reports. The miraclarity report helps them understand your situation quickly.
• Another hospital or provider: Your MRI images can be shared digitally. Contact Mira to arrange image transfer if needed.

Having your own copies of both reports means you are never dependent on a GP or hospital to access your results. You own your health data.