As recently as three to five years ago, clinicians diagnosing disorders could not afford to dismiss the possible presence of “stumble-across” imaging studies.
Don’t confuse the term with incidental findings. These are anatomic abnormalities that pop up in imaging exams looking for something else. By contrast, stumble-across imaging is typically a prior exam that’s relevant to care but hidden from view. The only way a clinician can find it is to stumble across it.
