Radiological Errors
Radiology not only encompasses x-rays and films, it also includes MRI’s, CT scans, mammograms, ultrasound, fluoroscopy and more. These tests generally create images of the inside of your body. The images are either stored on film or by using digital imaging on a computer.
These images are usually read or interpreted by radiologists who have received training in medical school and thereafter in how to read and interpret the images accurately. This is how a diagnosis is made. A patient’s well-being and sometimes their very life depends upon the radiologist reading the images properly and accurately.
Unfortunately, mistakes do occur. A mammogram may be read by a radiologist as “normal” when in fact there was information on the image that cancer was present. The woman, believing that everything was normal, would not be concerned until much later, when additional changes occurred in her breast (for example a lump became larger). Now when she returns to her doctor, a diagnosis of cancer is made. Since so much time elapsed from her first mammogram until the diagnosis was made, instead of being a Stage 1 (very favorable for good outcome) she is a Stage III or IV (very unfavorable and at the very least requiring extensive surgery and treatment – possibly death).
Mistakes like this can occur with all types of radiological testing. It can involve tests for lung cancer, bleeding in the brain, blocks in the blood circulation of the brain, broken bones, abdominal disorders, gynecological problems, liver and chest conditions and much, much more.
How are these errors made? There are more reasons that can be listed in one article. Inexperience, incompetence, distractions while reading the films, and more. Another reason is that many times a radiologist sits down with many images from many different patients and simply misses the diagnosis because he/she was not careful, became tired, took a telephone call and forgot to carefully look at the image, etc.
No matter what the reason, a mistake in interpreting the films and making a correct diagnosis when time is of the essence can be devastating to the health and well-being of a patient.
While not technically a “radiological error,” mistakes made by pathologists in reading and interpreting tissue slides from biopsies can also lead to catastrophic injuries to, or the death of, a patient as a result of a misdiagnosis of a pathologist.
The attorneys at Sanocki Newman & Turret, LLP, have successfully achieved verdicts and settlements for radiological malpractice, including a $3.47 million settlement for the death of a woman who died of metastatic breast cancer when the results of a mammogram were not communicated to her and a $950,000 settlement for a biopsy that was misread by a pathologist resulting in a mastectomy that the patient did not need.
If you believe there was an injury as a result of medical malpractice, please contact our firm at 212-962-1190 to discuss your case.