Bridgeport, CT Radiology Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Lawyers for Radiology Mistakes Leading to Patient Injuries in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Medical imaging is an essential part of modern healthcare. X-rays can reveal broken bones, CT scans can detect internal bleeding, MRIs can show soft tissue abnormalities, and ultrasounds can examine organs and blood flow. These diagnostic tools are essential for identifying diseases, planning treatments, and monitoring patient progress. However, when radiologists make errors reading scans or when imaging procedures are performed incorrectly, the results can be catastrophic for patients.

Radiology mistakes lead to a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose serious conditions. Radiologists have a duty to carefully review images, consider relevant clinical information, and communicate findings clearly to physicians. When medical professionals make diagnostic errors, patients can suffer serious harm. At Tremont Sheldon P.C., our medical malpractice lawyers can identify radiology errors and other forms of negligent medical care, and we can take steps to help injury victims recover financial compensation.

Types of Radiology Errors

Errors may occur when radiologists fail to notice abnormalities that are visible on images. A tumor may be present on a scan, but a radiologist may fail to recognize it. Factors such as fatigue, distractions, visual search patterns, and image quality can contribute to these failures.

In some cases, radiologists may see an abnormality, but they may reach the wrong conclusion about what it represents. A shadow on a chest x-ray might be dismissed as scar tissue when it actually represents early-stage lung cancer. A mass might be characterized as benign when it is malignant.

Communication failures can lead to harm even when radiologists correctly identify findings. Reports may be unclear or delayed, or they may never reach the treating physician. Breakdowns in communication systems may lead urgent results to sit in computer systems unread. Ambiguous language in reports can lead treating physicians to misunderstand the significance of findings.

Technical errors may affect the quality and usefulness of scans. Improper positioning of patients, equipment malfunctions, or other issues can lead to substandard images that obscure important findings. Radiology technicians who perform imaging procedures must follow the proper techniques, and failure to do so can make accurate interpretation of test results impossible.

In some cases, radiologists may stop looking for additional abnormalities once they find one problem. If a chest X-ray shows pneumonia, the radiologist may not notice a small lung nodule in another area. Radiologists may also focus too heavily on clinical information provided with imaging orders, and they may miss findings that do not fit the suspected diagnosis.

Conditions Commonly Affected by Radiology Errors

Patients who suffer from certain medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to harm due to radiology mistakes. Health issues that may become worse due to diagnostic errors include:

• Cancer: Lung nodules on chest x-rays or CT scans may be overlooked or mischaracterized as benign. Breast cancer can be missed on mammograms. Colon cancer may not be identified on CT scans of the abdomen. The spread of bone cancer can be mistaken for benign lesions. Brain tumors may be present on MRI scans, but they may be missed or dismissed as other conditions. Early detection is critical in cancer treatment, and radiology errors that delay a cancer diagnosis can make the difference between a curable condition and a terminal disease.
• Stroke: A diagnosis may depend on rapid CT or MRI imaging to identify brain bleeding or blood clots. Early stroke treatment can prevent permanent brain damage, but the window for providing treatment may be small. Radiologists who miss signs of stroke on scans may prevent patients from receiving time-sensitive treatments.
• Aneurysms: Bulges in blood vessel walls can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. Brain aneurysms may appear on CT and MRI scans, but small aneurysms can be missed by radiologists who do not carefully examine blood vessel anatomy. Aortic aneurysms visible on chest X-rays or abdominal CT scans may be overlooked, or their size may be underestimated. When aneurysms rupture before being diagnosed, patients may suffer severe complications, or they may be at risk of death.
• Fractures: Broken bones are typically diagnosed with X-rays, but not all fractures are obvious. Stress fractures, non-displaced fractures, and other types of fractures can be missed. Hip fractures in elderly patients, spinal compression fractures, and wrist fractures may not be recognized on the initial X-rays. Untreated fractures can heal improperly, causing chronic pain and other ongoing issues.
• Pulmonary Embolism: Blood clots in the lungs may be detected using CT pulmonary angiography. These potentially fatal clots can be missed when radiologists do not carefully examine all pulmonary vessels or when technical factors lead to lower image quality. Patients with missed pulmonary embolisms are at risk for sudden death or chronic lung problems.
• Heart Disease: Calcium buildup in coronary arteries visible on CT scans may indicate risks for cardiovascular disease. Heart enlargement on chest X-rays may suggest underlying cardiac problems. Valve abnormalities may appear on echocardiograms. When radiologists miss these findings, patients may not receive the necessary cardiac evaluations and treatments.
• Infections and Abscesses: These issues may show up as fluid collections or abnormal areas on CT scans and ultrasounds. Missed infections can progress to sepsis, a life-threatening condition. Abscesses require drainage, and delays in diagnosis may allow infections to worsen and spread.
• Internal Bleeding: This issue may appear on CT scans as fluid collections or areas of abnormal density. Emergency department patients with abdominal pain or head injuries may undergo imaging specifically to detect bleeding. Radiologists who miss these findings may prevent patients from receiving emergency surgery that could save their lives.

How for Victims of Radiology Errors

In a medical malpractice case, our lawyers can help demonstrate that radiology errors caused a patient to suffer harm. We will take steps to obtain all radiology reports related to a case. These images will be reviewed by board-certified radiologists who can provide independent assessments of whether findings should have been identified and reported.

Our legal team will gather evidence about a radiologist's credentials, training, and any history of similar errors. We will examine the working conditions that could have affected a case, including how many scans the radiologist was interpreting per shift, whether adequate time was allowed for careful review, and what technology and support systems were available. Overwork and inadequate resources can contribute to errors, and these issues may be raised in claims against employers.

We will document how a radiology error affected a person's medical care. We can obtain opinions from physicians in relevant specialties who will explain how an earlier diagnosis would have changed treatment options and improved a person's prognosis. This can establish causation and demonstrate the extent of the harm a person has suffered.

Our team will calculate the full scope of a person's damages, including increased medical expenses from more extensive treatment, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering from the progression of a disease, and reduced life expectancy. We can work with economic professionals and life care planners to provide detailed projections of a person's future costs and losses.

We will pursue claims against all responsible parties, including the radiologist who misread images, the healthcare facility that employed the radiologist, and equipment manufacturers in cases where defective equipment played a role in a misdiagnosis. A comprehensive investigation can help ensure that all sources of compensation will be identified.

Throughout the process, our attorneys will provide compassionate representation focused on achieving results for clients. We understand that radiology errors often involve cancer and other life-threatening conditions where time is critical. While we handle legal concerns, an injury victim can focus on receiving the treatment they need.

Contact Our Bridgeport Radiology Error Lawyers

Radiology mistakes can have far-reaching consequences. When radiologists miss findings that should have been identified, patients may lose opportunities for effective treatment. Lives may be shortened, and suffering may be prolonged. At Tremont Sheldon P.C., our medical malpractice lawyers work to hold negligent medical providers accountable for diagnostic errors and other forms of negligence. We build strong cases supported by medical evidence, working to ensure that our clients will be properly compensated. To schedule a free consultation, contact our Bridgeport, CT radiology error attorneys at 203-335-5145.