Table 1

Patient-centred outcomes within domain of information or knowledge yielded by imaging tests

Outcomes	Definition/explanation
Finding cause of symptoms	Finding out what is causing symptoms With a known diagnosis, information that leads to finding out how serious it is The desire for a definitive diagnosis, to reduce uncertainty
Reducing the probability of a condition that patient worried about	Excluding a serious condition based on the test results
Value of just knowing or finding out more, whatever the outcome	The desire to know, to find answers or just to find out/see something in their own body
Decision-making around the information given by the test, leading to action	Test results facilitating access to higher level of care or proceed with a particular treatment course
False information from test results	Initial positive results leading to need for further tests (or a sequence of tests) to further confirm/rule out a condition (false positives) False reassurance from test results (false negatives)
Incidental and indeterminate findings	Indeterminate or inconclusive results leading to further downstream testing (‘testing cascade’) in attempts to arrive at a definitive diagnosis Unexpected findings that may or may not have clinical significance, but can lead to additional testing