The Hidden Dangers of Radiology Errors: How Misread Imaging Leads to Medical Malpractice in Pittsburgh

Radiology is an essential part of modern medicine. It’s often the first step in diagnosing what’s wrong when something doesn’t feel right. We trust that when a doctor orders an X-ray, MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound, the results will be read accurately, giving us a clear picture of our health. But what happens when that trust is broken? When does a radiologist’s mistake lead to a missed diagnosis, a delayed diagnosis, or a serious misdiagnosis?

In the Pittsburgh medical community and throughout Pennsylvania, these errors are not just unfortunate mistakes; they can be grounds for a medical malpractice claim. A misread image can start a chain of events that leads to devastating health consequences and, in some cases, can make the difference between life and death. The complex legalities surrounding these cases can be difficult to navigate, and the path to seeking justice is rarely straightforward.

What are Radiology Errors?

A radiology error occurs when a doctor, typically a radiologist, makes a mistake in reading or interpreting a medical image, such as an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound. These images are snapshots of the inside of your body, and the radiologist’s job is to analyze them and report their findings to the referring physician. An error can happen in a few key ways:

• Misdiagnosis: The radiologist identifies an ailment, but it is not the correct one, leading to improper treatment.
• Missed diagnosis: The radiologist fails to see a disease or injury that is present on the image. This is a common and dangerous type of error, often leading to a delayed diagnosis.
• Delayed diagnosis: The radiologist correctly identifies an issue, but only after a significant amount of time has passed, during which the patient’s condition worsened.
• Wrong-site diagnosis: The radiologist reads the image as being of a different body part or for a different patient entirely, leading to catastrophic mix-ups.

Radiology errors are a type of medical negligence, but they rise to the level of medical malpractice when the misinterpretation falls below the accepted standard of care.

What is the Standard of Care for a Radiologist in Pennsylvania?

At the core of any medical malpractice claim in Pennsylvania is the concept of the standard of care. This isn’t about perfection; it’s about what a reasonably prudent and careful healthcare provider would do under similar circumstances. For a radiologist, this means they are held to the standard of other competent radiologists. Their actions would be evaluated based on the knowledge and skill that a radiologist with the same training would have in a similar situation.

For instance, a general practitioner in Pittsburgh who reads a patient’s chest X-ray will not be held to the same standard as a specialized thoracic radiologist at a major hospital. The law acknowledges that different medical professionals have different levels of training and resources. Proving a radiologist’s conduct fell below this standard almost always requires the testimony of another qualified radiologist who can state what the accepted practice was and how the defendant’s actions failed to meet it.

What is the Difference Between a Radiology Error and Medical Malpractice?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there’s a significant legal difference between a simple medical error and medical malpractice. All medical malpractice is a form of medical negligence, but not all mistakes made in a medical setting are considered malpractice.

• Medical negligence is a broader term for any carelessness that causes harm. A patient who slips on a wet floor in a hospital hallway because an employee failed to put up a warning sign is a victim of negligence.
• Medical malpractice is a specific form of negligence where a healthcare provider breaches the standard of care by failing to use the proper medical knowledge or skill, leading to patient harm.

A radiology error becomes medical malpractice when the misread or missed diagnosis is a result of a direct deviation from the accepted standards of the medical field. It’s an error rooted in professional medical judgment, not a simple oversight or clerical mistake. The claim hinges on whether another competent radiologist would have correctly identified the issue.

How Do I Prove a Radiology Error Led to My Injury?

To have a successful medical malpractice claim in Pennsylvania, you must prove four key elements:

• A Duty of Care Existed: This is usually straightforward to establish. When a radiologist agrees to read a patient’s images, they have a legal duty to perform that task with the same skill and knowledge as a competent radiologist.
• The Radiologist Breached That Duty: This is the heart of the case. You must show that the radiologist’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care. This is where expert testimony from another radiologist is vital. They must be able to explain what the standard was and how the defendant failed to meet it.
• The Breach Caused Your Injury: You must draw a direct line from the radiology error to the harm you suffered. It is not enough to show that the radiologist was careless. You must prove that this specific misread or missed diagnosis is the reason you got sicker, required more invasive treatment, or experienced a worse health outcome. For example, if a radiologist missed a tumor on an X-ray, but a timely diagnosis would not have changed the patient’s prognosis, the causation element may fail.
• You Suffered Damages: Finally, you must show that you suffered actual harm as a result of the injury. These damages can be economic (medical bills, lost wages) or non-economic (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life).

What Types of Radiology Errors are Common?

Radiology errors can affect any part of the body and can lead to a wide range of diagnoses. Some of the most common types of errors involve:

• Cancer: A missed tumor on a mammogram, chest X-ray, or CT scan can lead to a significant delay in treatment, allowing the cancer to progress to a more advanced stage.
• Fractures: Misreading a fracture, especially a hairline fracture or stress fracture, can lead to improper casting or treatment, which could cause a bone to heal incorrectly and result in long-term pain and disability.
• Internal Bleeding: Failing to spot signs of internal hemorrhaging after a car accident or a fall could result in a patient’s condition worsening dangerously while their doctor remains unaware of the underlying problem.
• Infections: Missing an abscess or infection in an organ on an imaging study can delay life-saving antibiotic treatment, which could lead to sepsis or other severe complications.
• Vascular Issues: Misreading signs of a blood clot or an aneurysm on an MRI or CT scan can be catastrophic, potentially leading to a stroke or heart attack that could have been prevented.

The “Certificate of Merit”: A Key Requirement for Malpractice Claims

One of the most significant procedural hurdles in Pennsylvania medical malpractice claims is the Certificate of Merit. This rule was designed to prevent frivolous lawsuits by requiring plaintiffs to have their case vetted by a qualified medical professional before the litigation can proceed.

Within 60 days of filing a medical malpractice complaint, the plaintiff’s attorney must file a signed document stating that a licensed professional has provided a written statement that there is a reasonable probability that the defendant’s care fell outside of acceptable professional standards and that this was the cause of the harm. Failure to file this certificate on time can result in the case being dismissed. This is an added layer of complexity and expense that is not present in general negligence claims, underscoring the seriousness of a malpractice allegation.

What Compensation is Available for a Radiology Error Claim?

When a medical malpractice claim is successful, the injured party may be entitled to financial compensation for the harm they have suffered. This compensation, known as damages, is generally broken into several categories.

Economic Damages: This is compensation for quantifiable financial losses, including:

• Past and future medical bills related to the injury.
• Lost wages and income from being unable to work.
• Loss of future earning capacity if the injury prevents a return to the same line of work.
• Costs for things like home health aides, physical therapy, or modifications to a home to accommodate a disability.

Non-Economic Damages: This is compensation for intangible personal losses that don’t have a specific dollar amount, such as:

• Pain and suffering.
• Emotional distress and mental anguish.
• Loss of enjoyment of life.
• Disfigurement and scarring.

Punitive Damages: These are very rare. They are not meant to compensate the victim but rather to punish the healthcare provider for conduct that was outrageously careless or intentional and to deter similar conduct in the future. The standard for winning punitive damages is exceptionally high.

Why are Radiology Errors Often Hard to Detect?

Many radiology errors go unnoticed for long periods because the patient’s symptoms are being treated, but the underlying issue is missed. By the time a correct diagnosis is made, the patient’s condition may have worsened significantly. Discovering a radiology error often requires a fresh set of eyes on the old images. A second opinion from another doctor or a review of a patient’s file after a failed course of treatment can sometimes reveal what was missed. The process of connecting the dots and showing that an error occurred can be incredibly challenging. This is why having an attorney who knows how to investigate these issues and collaborate with medical experts is so important.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Radiology Error?

Liability for a radiology error can extend beyond the radiologist. Depending on the specific circumstances of the case, other parties may also be held responsible. This can include:

• The Radiologist: The individual doctor who misread the image.
• The Hospital or Clinic: The institution that employed the radiologist or failed to have proper procedures and safeguards in place.
• The Referring Physician: A doctor who fails to consider the radiology report alongside a patient’s symptoms and other test results, leading to a misdiagnosis.
• The Practice Group: The medical group or company that employed the radiologist.

The legal process for identifying all responsible parties is detailed and requires a comprehensive review of all medical records, policies, and procedures related to the case.

Navigating Your Path Forward After a Radiology Error

It’s often hard to make sense of what happened. You may have trusted a healthcare provider who made a serious mistake, and now you’re facing health complications you may not have had otherwise. Distinguishing between a bad medical outcome and actual medical malpractice is a complicated and fact-sensitive process. It requires a thorough investigation of medical records, consultation with respected medical professionals, and a deep knowledge of Pennsylvania’s specific legal rules and procedures.

The team at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman is here to help you understand your rights and evaluate the strength of your potential claim. We have been a part of the Pittsburgh legal community for several decades, and we are dedicated to helping victims of negligence navigate the legal system to secure the resources they need to recover. To discuss your situation in a confidential consultation, please contact us online or call our office today at 866-565-4949. Let us help you determine the right path forward.