How to Read Your Medical Reports & MRI Results

When you receive medical reports or imaging results related to a work injury, the terminology can be difficult to understand without a medical background. Knowing what some of the most common terms mean can help you stay engaged and informed as your claim and treatment move forward. We believe an informed client is an empowered one, so we’ve provided a brief, plain-language overview of terms* you are likely to encounter in treating physician reports and radiology studies, along with how each one typically relates to workers' compensation claims.

Common Terms in Treating Physician Reports

Physician reports in a workers' comp case often include language that determines how your injury is classified, treated, and ultimately valued.

• Industrial causation — A physician's opinion that a condition was caused or substantially contributed to by work activities. This finding is foundational to a workers' comp claim because it formally establishes the connection between the injury and employment.
• Work restrictions — Documented physical limitations placed on a worker by their physician, such as no lifting above a certain weight or limited standing time. These restrictions determine whether a worker can return to their previous role or modified duty and directly affect temporary disability benefits.
• Permanent and Stationary (P&S) — A status declaration indicating that the worker's condition has stabilized and is unlikely to improve significantly with further treatment. Reaching P&S status typically signals that a case is approaching the settlement stage.
• Apportionment — The portion of a worker's disability that a physician attributes to prior conditions or non-work factors rather than the current industrial injury. Under California law, only the work-related portion of the disability is compensable.
• Whole Person Impairment (WPI) — A percentage reflecting the degree of permanent impairment to the body as a whole, assigned using the AMA Guides. This number is the starting point for calculating the Permanent Disability rating that determines benefit value.

Common Terms in MRI and Radiology Reports

Imaging reports use specific clinical language to describe what was found in the body, including several terms that appear frequently in work injury cases.

• Herniated or bulging disc — A condition in which the soft material inside a spinal disc presses outward or ruptures through its outer wall. This finding is common in back and neck injury claims and may support the medical necessity of treatment or time off work.
• Radiculopathy — Irritation or compression of a spinal nerve root, often causing pain, numbness, or weakness that radiates down an arm or leg. Documented radiculopathy can strengthen the medical support for a spine-related work injury.
• Rotator cuff tear — A partial or full-thickness tear of the tendons surrounding the shoulder joint, often caused by trauma or repetitive overhead activity. The type and extent of the tear can affect treatment needs and factor into the permanent disability rating.
• Stenosis — Narrowing of the spinal canal or the openings through which nerve roots pass, which can cause nerve compression and pain. Stenosis may be pre-existing, which can raise apportionment questions, or it may be caused or worsened by a work injury.
• Effusion — Excess fluid accumulation in a joint, typically indicating inflammation or recent injury. In a workers' comp context, effusion can help support the acute nature of an injury to a joint.

A Note on QME Reports

Reports from Qualified Medical Evaluators and Agreed Medical Evaluators use many of the same terms described above, but they carry additional legal weight in a workers' comp case. For a deeper look at what QME reports contain and how they affect your claim, see our dedicated guide page on QMEs.

Understanding your medical reports is a meaningful step, but knowing what they mean for your specific claim is something an attorney can help with. Pacific Workers', The Lawyers for Injured Workers offers free consultations to injured workers across California. Call us at (888) 740-6434 today if you have questions about your case.

[* This page is a general informational reference only and does not constitute medical advice. For questions about your specific results, please speak with your treating physician or a qualified medical professional.]