Meaning & use
interval change
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountabletechnicalmedical
A difference in a patient's condition seen when a new scan or test is compared with an earlier one.
Grammar: Often used without 'a' in reports: 'There is no interval change.' It can also be countable: 'a significant interval change'.
Patterns
- no interval change
- interval change in something
- show interval change
The follow-up chest X-ray showed no interval change.
The report noted a slight interval change in the size of the nodule.
Without an older scan, we cannot assess interval change.
Common combinations
- no interval change
- The radiologist wrote 'no interval change' in the report.
- significant interval change
- A significant interval change would mean the treatment is not working.
- interval change in size
- They measured the interval change in size of the tumor.
- assess interval change
- We need the old images to assess interval change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- progression
- Progression means the disease is getting worse; interval change is neutral and can be improvement or worsening.
- change
- Change is the general word; interval change is specifically a comparison between two time points.
Word family
- interval noun
- A period of time between two events.
Commonly confused: interval change or interim change?
interval change vs interim change
Interim means 'temporary' or 'in the meantime', not 'between two scans'.
Practice
The new CT scan shows no interval change. This means:
Choose one answer.
Interval change compares two scans over time, so 'no interval change' means no difference. The other options describe different situations.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “interval change”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.