HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Book a video visit
HealthTap
Telehealth
A member asked:

Can you tell if a mass is cancer by looking at a ct scan?

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Steven Chmielewski answered

Specializes in Diagnostic Radiology

No.: Cancer requires a biopsy to prove the diagnosis. That being said, there are some masses that are clearly benign by their imaging characteristics and some where we can be greater than 95% certain that it is cancer.

Dr Jin agreed

Answered 10/11/2017

4.9k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

Does heterogeneous enhancing mass typically mean cancer? A CT scan in ER found a 6 cm by 4 cm mass on liver and Im trying to understand what that means.

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Had a CT scan and it showed a mass on the sigmoid colon 12.5 cm x 5.5 cm x 5. cm, is a mass this size always cancer ?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Had a CT scan recently,the result was "ultilobulated soft tissue mass in the small bowel mesentery in the midabdomen" is this likely cancer?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Ct chest found mass behind my nipple They said could possibly be a cyst but needs urgent work up.If they think cyst why do I need URGENT work up. Does this flag cancer suspicion. Im 32 cant they tell difference between cyst & cancer mass on ct?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Thyroid mass 3.5cm enlarged nodes on same side of mass. Mass hard non moveable. None of it hurts gotta get ct scan done. Likely cancer or cyst?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more

People also searched for:

Ct found ovarian cystic mass, does that mean a cyst. Can a CT scan tell the difference between a cyst and tumor? Worried about ovarian cancer.
A Ct looking for PE,had incidental nodules finding in rt hiler.a 3.5 mass, Pet Scan suggests malignancy and Bronchoscope showed no cancer? Now what?
A CT scan result showed a 13 CM mass on my right ovary. Is it likely cancer?
Does inflammatory vs malignancy in the remarks of CT scan of lungs with 203cc solid mass mean its cancer?
I have well defined exophytic mass in left kidney as per CT scan report. What does that mean? Is it cancer of the kidney?

Telemedicine

Primary Care
Manage Your Conditions
Women's Health
Children's Health
Men's Health
Senior Health
Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle
Sexual Health
Mental & Behavioral Health
Travel Medicine
Urgent Care
Ask your question
Didn't find what you're looking for?

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.

Ask your question

More of what we treat

Allergies
Antibiotics
Asthma
High Blood Pressure
Prescriptions
Type 2 Diabetes
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
HealthTap
HIPAA logo
HIPAASecure
Soc 2 Type 2 logo
SOC 2 Type 2Certified
JCAHO Accredited
JCAHOAccredited
Member App

Download HealthTap

Video visit and message your doctor

Member App QR Code
Play Store Member LinkApp Store Member Link

Questions?

+1 (888) 828-0841support@healthtap.com
LinkedInTwitter
HomeTermsPrivacyCookiesDMCAHealth TopicsDoctors DirectoryDoctor Q&A by Specialty
Copyright 2026 HealthTap, Inc.