The word “x-ray” may still conjure images of doctors standing before backlit panels reviewing transparent x-ray scans and arguing over diagnoses. This bears little resemblance to the reality of modern x-rays. In a practice known as teleradiology, doctors and hospitals outsource x-rays and similar procedures to companies who may be located on the other side of town or the other side of the world. Doctors and technicians employed by these companies review the x-rays and issue a report. This practice, while perhaps increasing efficiency, also increases risks of misdiagnosis or even simple miscommunication, with potentially serious consequences.
A recent article published by MSNBC tells the story of a Pennsylvania woman who went to the hospital on a Friday night in 2005 complaining of a severe headache. The emergency room doctor thought it might be a cerebral hemorrhage, a potentially fatal condition, so he ordered a CT scan. The hospital electronically sent the CT scan data to a radiologist located across the state. The radiologist diagnosed a possible tumor rather than a hemorrhage. Since a tumor was not immediately life-threatening, the hospital sent her home with painkillers.
The woman returned to the hospital by ambulance about seven hours later, in even worse pain. The ER doctor ordered a more detailed CT scan, which was sent to a different radiologist. While the radiologist had a Pennsylvania medical license, his office was in Hong Kong. The radiologist identified an abscess around the mass in the woman’s brain, a condition that is very frequently fatal if not caught in time. The radiologist did not note the significance of his finding, i.e. its likelihood to be fatal, in his report to the hospital. Another radiologist at the Pennsylvania company also noted the abscess but did not report its significance.
The woman went home again, and later collapsed when the abscess ruptured. She spent eleven weeks in a coma while doctors tried to drain the fluids from her brain. She survived with permanent brain damage affecting memory and daily functions. The hospital settled a lawsuit with her family for a confidential amount.