Translating a radiology report allows a doctor working in a different country to make decisions based on your clinical history.
Patients receiving medical care outside their home country are frequently asked to provide radiology reports in the local language. Hospitals, specialists and insurance providers need clear, accurate information to make clinical decisions, and radiology terminology is highly technical — what we’re talking about is a medical translation, which must be carried out by a professional translator. Clear communication helps doctors understand your condition and ensures safe, effective treatment.
At GT-Traduções we have worked with clinical documentation for four decades, from our office in Loulé. We support non-portuguese patients being treated in Portugal and Portuguese patients who need to provide imaging results in a different country.
Will you be submitting imaging reports in another country?
Send us the report for a preliminary review and we will tell you what type of translation the hospital or insurer will require.
Contact our teamWhich radiology documents usually need translation
- X-ray and ultrasound reports.
- PET scan and mammography reports.
- Radiology summaries included in discharge notes.
- Imaging descriptions attached to specialist referrals.
- Reports for insurance claims or second opinions.
Why radiology reports require professional translation
Specialised terminology
Radiology uses technical vocabulary that must be translated accurately. Misinterpretation can affect the diagnosis, the treatment plan or a surgical decision.
Receiving hospital requirements
Many hospitals abroad require certified translations for official medical documentation, particularly for admissions and specialist consultations.
Acceptance by insurers
Insurance companies may reject claims where translations are unclear or incomplete. The report must be reproduced in full, without summarising.
Standard or certified translation
Standard translation is suitable where the hospital only needs the information for internal review. Certified translation is required where the report will be used for hospital admission abroad, specialist consultations, insurance claims, legal or administrative procedures, or medical documentation for visa and immigration purposes.
Do radiology reports need an apostille?
Some countries require an apostille for medical documents, and the rule depends on where the document was issued:
- If the radiology report was issued abroad, the apostille must be obtained in the country of origin — Portugal cannot issue apostilles for foreign documents.
- If the report is in Portuguese and the foreign hospital requires an apostille, the apostille applies to the certified translation, not to the original report.
- Check with the receiving institution whether an apostille is necessary in your case.
How the translation process works
Send the radiology report
A clear photo or PDF is usually enough. The paper original is not required for the translation itself; where certification is required, we’ll then need the original or a certified copy.
The report is reviewed
We check language, legibility and whether certification is needed for the destination indicated.
Professional medical translation
Radiology terminology is translated accurately and consistently throughout the whole report.
Certification, if required
The translation is certified by a notary, lawyer or solicitor.
Apostille, only if requested
In person at the Portuguese Attorney General’s District Offices, by post, or through authorised third parties.
CIOL certification
CIOL certification derives from our standing as qualified members of the Chartered Institute of Linguists for the Portuguese–English combination. It is widely accepted by European and international bodies, allowing faster procedures and avoiding the costs associated with notary certification and the apostille.
Need the report translated for a scheduled consultation?
Tell us the appointment date and we will organise the work so the documentation arrives in time, with a clear quote from the outset.
Ask for a quote WhatsAppCommon mistakes patients should avoid
- Sending blurry or incomplete scans of the report.
- Using automatic translation tools — in radiology, the risk of clinical error is real.
- Not confirming whether certification is required before commissioning the work.
- Forgetting that apostilles apply to the certified translation, not to the original Portuguese report.
- Submitting reports without the radiologist’s signature or identification.
Checklist for non-portuguese patients
The destination determines the language and the formal requirements.
Confirm before commissioning, so you do not pay for unnecessary steps.
Not all do. Written confirmation avoids repeating the process.
Every page, with stamps and signatures visible.
An incomplete report compromises clinical reading.
Discharge notes, lab results and prescriptions are commonly requested together.
Frequently asked questions
Do the images themselves need translating?
Normally not. What the doctor reads at the destination is the written report; the images accompany it in the format in which they were supplied. If the medium contains relevant text, we flag that at the preliminary review.
How long does a radiology report translation take?
It depends on the length and the language combination. We state the turnaround time in the quote and, if you have a scheduled consultation, we organise the work around that date.
Does the translation keep the structure of the original report?
Yes. The report is reproduced in full, with the same sequence of sections, findings and conclusion, without summarising or omission.
Do you translate into languages other than English?
Yes. We work with English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Arabic and Mandarin, among other combinations.
Is my clinical information protected?
Yes. Documents are handled within a restricted circuit, accessible only to the translators assigned to the work and under GDPR.
Is translating a radiology report technical translation?
It is. Radiology terminology has its own equivalents in each language and is handled by professionals with practice in the medical field — by exact term, not by approximation.
We support non-portuguese patients with precise medical translations
Accurate translation of radiology reports helps doctors abroad understand your condition and provide safe, effective care. Send us the document for a preliminary review. Office in Loulé, serving the whole of the Algarve and the country.
Ask for a quoteor call +351 934 602 625 · [email protected]
