Translation of Medical Reports and Imaging into German: Approved Standards

Translating medical reports and imaging into German: accepted standards for submission to hospitals in Germany

A key step for having your case accepted and assessed accurately

When applying for treatment at a German hospital – especially at a university hospital – providing your medical documents translated professionally into German is an essential requirement.
What many patients do not realise is that a non-certified, incomplete or poor-quality translation can delay the processing of their case or even lead to rejection.

This article explains the official standards for translating medical files into German and how to ensure that your documents are accepted by doctors and medical administrations in Germany.

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Which documents need to be translated?

When sending your medical file to a German hospital, make sure you have the following translated:

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What type of translation is required – and must it be certified?

In most cases, German hospitals – and especially university clinics – require a:

Certified professional medical translation (beglaubigte medizinische Übersetzung)

This normally means:

• The translation is done by a qualified medical translator,
  such as a state-certified translator or a legally recognised translation agency.

• Each translation bears:

  • the translator’s signature and stamp,

  • a standard sentence such as:

    “Die Übersetzung ist inhaltlich richtig und vollständig.”
    (“The translation is correct and complete in content.”)

Note:

• Some hospitals initially accept reports in English for a first evaluation.

• However, for actual treatment and visa procedures, a German version is very often requested later.

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Where can you obtain translations that meet German standards?

1. Certified translation offices in your home country

• The agency should be officially registered and provide a stamp on each page.

• Ask whether they work according to German standards, e.g. DIN EN ISO 17100.

• Make sure they have experience with medical terminology and with cases for Germany.

2. Certified translation agencies in Germany

Many patients send their files directly online to German-based translation agencies, for example:

• lingoking.com

• tolingo.de

• beglaubigte-uebersetzungen.de

These agencies typically offer:

• certified translations,

• experience with German embassies and hospitals,

• PDF delivery and, if needed, hard copies by post.

3. Independent sworn medical translators

• You can also work with publicly appointed and sworn translators specialised in medical texts.

• They can be found via translators’ directories of German regional courts or professional associations.

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Approximate cost of certified medical translation

Prices depend on:

• language pair,

• complexity of medical content,

• number of tables and lab values,

• urgency (express surcharge).

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Important tips to ensure acceptance by the German hospital

• Never rely on machine translation
  Do not use online machine translation for your medical reports and findings – they are not accepted and often medically wrong or misleading.

• Insist on accurate medical terminology
  The translation must be medically precise, not just roughly understandable. Technical terms (TNM staging, reference ranges, ICD/OPS codes) must be rendered correctly.

• Submit the original and the translation together
  Always send both the original documents (scan / PDF) and the German translation as PDFs, ideally in a clearly structured file or as clearly named attachments.

• Use the same names and dates as in your passport
  Ensure that your name, date of birth and spelling are identical to your passport to avoid confusion.

• Check every page before sending
  Verify that:

  • all pages are present,

  • dates and names are correct,

  • stamps and signatures are visible.

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Conclusion

Translating your medical reports into German is not just a formality – it is a core requirement for your treatment request to be taken seriously and for your condition to be properly assessed.

Choose a certified translation office or sworn medical translator, demand professional medical language and send your documents complete, clear and well organised.
In serious illnesses, small details in the translation can make a big difference to your treatment path.

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Our team of writers and editors strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and consultation of multiple sources. Nevertheless, errors may occur or some details may be incomplete or not yet definitively confirmed. Please regard the information in this article as an initial reference and always consult the relevant authorities and specialist bodies for binding and up-to-date information.