How to Prepare Your Medical Records for a Specialist in China
Specialists at China's busy public hospitals decide quickly, so a well-organised file makes the difference between a useful opinion and a request for more information. Send the original records in their original language, the original imaging files (DICOM), and complete pathology reports — we translate and summarise them for the specialist.
By China MedPass · Updated · How we write
Start with a short overview
Before the documents themselves, give the specialist a way in.
- A one-page summary: the main problem, the diagnosis so far, treatment to date and the current situation.
- A dated timeline of key events — first symptoms, tests, diagnoses, operations, treatments and how you responded.
- The questions you want answered, most important first. We turn these into the question list the specialist sees.
Imaging: original files, not pictures
- Send the original imaging files (DICOM) for MRI, CT, PET-CT and angiography. A written radiology report is not a substitute, and phone photos of a screen or JPEG exports are not enough.
- If your imaging is on a CD or DVD, copy the whole disc to a cloud drive and send us the link.
- Include older scans if you have them — comparing over time is often what the specialist needs most.
Pathology, lab and genetic results
- Send complete pathology reports, not a one-line summary — each result with its specimen site, collection date and method.
- Keep immunohistochemistry, molecular and genetic test results as full laboratory reports.
- Lab results over time are more useful than the latest set alone.
- Do not post pathology slides or tissue blocks until the hospital has confirmed it needs them and how they will be returned.
Medicines and history
- A current medication list: generic drug names, doses, and when each started or stopped (and why).
- Allergies and previous reactions.
- Operation notes and discharge summaries from any hospital stays.
Send originals — don't translate them yourself
Send records in their original language. Please don't run them through an AI translator first: small errors in medical terms, units or values can change the meaning. We translate everything into a Chinese case summary for the specialist and send it to you to check before anything is booked.
- Make sure the patient's name is spelled exactly as in the passport across all documents — Chinese hospitals register patients by real name.
- Name files starting with the date (for example 2026-03-14_brain-MRI-report.pdf) and include a simple index.
- Check that shared links open from another device, and send any passwords separately.
FAQ
My imaging is only on a CD. What do I do?
Copy all the files from the disc (including folders with odd names — those are the DICOM images) to a cloud drive and send us the link. If that's difficult, tell us and we'll talk you through it.
Do I need to translate my records into English or Chinese?
No. Send them in their original language. We translate and summarise them so terms and values stay accurate.
Is a radiology report enough?
Usually not. Specialists want to look at the images themselves, so please send the original DICOM files as well as the report.
Should I send pathology slides?
Only when the hospital asks. We confirm first whether slides or blocks are needed and how they will be returned.
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