Incidentalomas – A “disease” of modern imaging technology

The evolution of new diagnostic techniques has revolutionized the practice of medicine and in fact, the nature of medicine itself. Technology has also expanded the “visual” field of medicine: the naked eye was assisted by the light microscope and then electron microscope to see smaller and smaller features while radiology has permitted “non-invasive” identification of internal structures. However, there are unintended consequences one of which is the discovery of an anomaly during the course of looking for something else – incidental findings and incidentalomas. Technology in general and imaging specifically offer much in service to physicians and their patients. However, it behoves physicians to ensure that technology supplements but does not replace good clinical judgment. This essay aims to put the issue of incidental findings related to advancing technology (especially imaging technology) into a broader context.