Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
How to get copies of your medical records and reports | CION Cancer Clinics
You can ask any hospital in India for copies of your own records, usually with a written request, ID proof and a small fee. For liver cancer, ask for the scan images as well as the reports, plus blood tests, biopsy results and discharge summaries. This page lists what to collect, how to ask, and what a family member needs to collect them for you. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team supports patients and families through symptoms, follow-up and life during and after treatment.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Can I get copies of my own hospital records in India?
- Which records should I ask for after a liver cancer diagnosis?
- How do I request my records from a hospital?
- What do the words on a records request mean?
- Will asking for my records upset my doctor?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about getting medical records
The short answer
Can I get copies of my own hospital records in India?
Yes. The records are about you, and the professional rules for doctors in India say a patient, or someone the patient has authorised, can ask for copies. Most hospitals have a medical records department that handles this, usually with a written request, an ID proof and a small copying fee.
Why it matters so much in liver cancer
Liver cancer decisions rest on many pieces at once. The scan shows the tumour. The blood tests show how well the liver is working. The endoscopy report shows whether there are varices, which are swollen veins in the food pipe. A biopsy report, if one was done, says what the tumour is. A doctor who sees only one of these is planning half blind.
The most common gap we see
Families arrive with a printed scan report but not the scan pictures themselves. A radiologist giving a second view needs the images, not just the summary someone else wrote. Asking for the full set at the time is far easier than going back for it later.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Each hospital sets its own process, and rules can change.The full list
Which records should I ask for after a liver cancer diagnosis?
Ask for these by name. A request that just says "my reports" often comes back with the blood tests and nothing else.
Scan images and reports
Every ultrasound, triple-phase CT, MRI and PET-CT, with both the written report and the images on a CD, DVD or download link. Films alone often leave out the phases a liver specialist wants to see.
Ask specifically for
- The images in DICOM format, the standard scan file
- Every phase of a contrast scan, not just selected slices
- Older scans, so the team can compare growth
Blood test reports
Liver function tests, AFP (a blood marker some liver cancers raise), INR (how well the blood clots), kidney tests and hepatitis B or C reports. A series over time tells more than one result.
Biopsy and pathology
The pathology report and, if a second opinion on the diagnosis is planned, the slides and tissue blocks. These are small wax blocks kept by the laboratory. They are released on a formal request, and you may be asked to return them.
Procedure and hospital notes
Discharge summaries, operation notes, TACE or ablation procedure notes, endoscopy reports and a list of current medicines. These show what was already tried and how the liver coped.
If you only get one thing, get the discharge summary. It usually lists everything else.Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How do I request my records from a hospital?
Find the right desk
Ask the front desk for the medical records department, sometimes called MRD. Scan images are usually released by the radiology department and slides by the pathology laboratory, so you may need three counters.
Write a short request
Give the patient's name, hospital number, the dates of admission or tests, and exactly what you want. Keep a photo of the signed request. Many hospitals have their own form, which is quicker.
Bring ID and an authorisation letter
The patient's ID proof is usually needed. If a son, daughter or spouse is collecting, bring a letter signed by the patient naming that person, plus their own ID. If the patient cannot sign, ask the desk what they accept instead.
Pay the fee and get a receipt
Copying and CD charges vary by hospital. Ask for a receipt and the date the copies will be ready. Ask whether they can be sent by email or a secure link.
Check before you leave
Open the envelope at the counter. Make sure the CD has images on it, the names and dates are right and every page you asked for is there.
At the counter
What do the words on a records request mean?
- MRD
- Medical records department. The office that stores your file and makes certified copies of it.
- Discharge summary
- The letter written when you leave hospital. It lists the diagnosis, tests, treatment given and medicines to continue.
- DICOM
- The standard file type for scan images. Another hospital's radiologist can open it on their own system and look at every slice.
- Blocks and slides
- The preserved tissue from a biopsy or operation. A second pathologist needs these to re-check the diagnosis. Read more on second-opinion pathology for a liver tumour.
- Certified copy
- A copy stamped and signed by the hospital as true. Insurers and government schemes sometimes ask for this rather than a plain photocopy.
Commonly believed
Will asking for my records upset my doctor?
"Asking for copies means I don't trust my doctor."
Asking for your records is routine. Doctors ask for them from each other all the time. Liver cancer care involves several specialists, often at different hospitals, and each one needs to see the same file.
"The hospital will keep my scans forever, so I don't need copies."
Hospitals store records for a limited period and systems change. Older scans can become hard to retrieve. Keeping your own copy of each scan protects the comparison your next doctor will need.
"A photo of the report on WhatsApp is enough."
It helps for a first conversation. It is not enough for a decision. Photos crop pages, blur numbers and cannot show the scan images. Bring the originals or the full digital files.
"Only the patient can collect the records."
A family member can usually collect them with a signed authorisation letter and ID. Rules differ between hospitals, so ask what they need before travelling from the district.
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Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you the exact process, fee or waiting time at any particular hospital. Each one sets its own. It cannot give legal advice if a hospital refuses or delays your request. For that, ask the hospital's patient relations office first, and a lawyer or your state medical council if the problem continues.
It cannot read the records for you
Once you have the file, the next step is for a doctor to go through it. Our pages on reading a radiology report and keeping a single liver cancer file explain how to organise it. They do not replace the tumour board reviewing it.
Who this does not apply to
If you are being treated in one hospital and all your doctors use the same system, you may not need to collect everything now. A request for a copy of each new scan is still sensible. Records for a death certificate, a court case or an insurance dispute follow separate routes, which the hospital desk can explain.
If you are bringing records to CION, the helpline can tell you what to collect before you travel.Questions we are asked
Common questions about getting medical records
Can the hospital refuse to give me my records?
A hospital should give a patient copies of their own records when asked properly. It may ask for ID, a written request and a fee, and it keeps the original file. If you meet a refusal, ask for the reason in writing and speak to the patient relations office.
How long does it take to get copies?
It varies. Some hospitals hand over a scan CD the same day. Full files and pathology blocks take longer. Ask for the expected date when you submit the request, and ask whether they can post it or send a link if you live outside Hyderabad.
Do I need the original scan CD or is a copy enough?
A copy works as well as the original, as long as the images are in the standard DICOM format and every series is on it. Check on a computer before you leave that the disc opens. Keep one copy at home and carry another to appointments.
Can my son or daughter collect records for me?
Usually yes. They need a letter signed by you naming them, your ID proof and their own ID. If you are too unwell to sign, the hospital will tell you what it accepts. Calling the desk first saves a wasted journey from the district.
Why does a second hospital want the tissue blocks?
Some liver tumours are hard to tell apart under the microscope, and the type changes the treatment. A second pathologist can only re-check the diagnosis on the original tissue. The blocks are usually returned to the first laboratory afterwards.
What if my old records are lost?
Ask the hospital and the diagnostic centre separately, as each may hold its own copy. Some scan centres keep digital images longer than the paper. If nothing can be found, the team works from new tests, and an older scan is simply missed for comparison.
Do insurers and schemes need certified copies?
Often they do, for claims under private insurance and government schemes such as Aarogyasri or Ayushman Bharat. The papers each one asks for change over time, so check with the insurer or scheme desk. Our page on insurance cover for liver cancer explains more.
What should I bring to my first CION appointment?
Every scan report with its images, recent blood tests, any biopsy report, discharge summaries and a list of medicines. Bring them even if they seem old. Call the helpline before you travel if you are not sure what you have, and someone will help you check.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
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Patient stories
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Sources
- NHS — Tests and next steps for liver cancer
- American Cancer Society — Diagnosing Liver Cancer
- NHS — CT scan
- American Cancer Society — Living as a Liver Cancer Survivor
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Keeping a single liver cancer fileHow to organise the records once you have themCarrying your scans between hospitalsMaking sure the images arrive in a usable formGetting a second opinion on a liver cancer planThe usual reason you need the full fileKeeping your own records and scan copiesHolding copies at home for later visits
Talk to us
Not sure which records to bring?
Tell us what you already have and we will tell you what is missing before you travel. Our team can help you put the file together for the tumour board. One helpline serves every CION centre.