Failing To Break Broken Bones Shown On X-Rays Is Serious

Physicians can get a look at what is going on inside a patient’s body when they use radiological procedures.  In order to diagnose and illness or injury properly, as well as set out treatment plans for health conditions, it is necessary that diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, MRIs and CAT scans be run.  Should a physician fail to order the proper tests, or misreads the tests, there may be a misdiagnosis of broken bones, tumors, internal bleeding, cardiac infections, illnesses like pneumonia, as well as other serious life-threatening conditions.

When things go wrong after undergoing testing or getting an X-ray, the patient may experience a worsening of their medical condition.  There are some cases where the patient will need complicated, dangerous, or expensive medical treatment as a result.  In some of the most tragic cases, the patient may even die even though these injuries or illness could have been treated or prevented.

Types of tests and x-rays that may be misread include:

• X-rays
• MRIs
• PET-Scans
• CT-Scans
• Cholesterol tests
• Allergy tests
• Blood pressure tests
• Bone scans
• Biopsies (to determine whether there is a malignant tumor or cancer cells in the patient’s body)
• Ultrasounds
• Blood tests
• Mammograms
• Amniocentesis (to detect abnormalities of a fetus)
• Cancer screenings
• Fertility testing
• STD testing

When tests and x-rays are misread, there are certain risks.  Should this occur, some of the possible outcomes include:

• Death (internal bleeding or organ damage may have gone undetected)
• Cancer may spread throughout the body
• Cardiac problems may become worse
• Brain damage may result if internal brain bleeding is missed or if a doctor fails to detect problems leading to insufficient oxygen to the brain
• A STD may spread to others when it otherwise would have been identified
• If diagnosed with a medical condition the patient does not have the patient may receive unnecessary treatment

Physicians and other health care professionals have been trained and have specialized knowledge to allow them to read x-rays properly and make diagnoses based on those x-rays.  However, there are times when a negligent physician may misread these x-rays or tests.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.