Misinterpreted Mammogram Can Mean the Difference of Life or Death

A mammogram is one of the most effective ways to catch breast cancer.  If this illness is treated in its early stages, the prognosis is often great for the patient.  However, sometimes mistakes are made by medical professionals and mammograms are either misread or not properly communicated.  As a patient, this is a matter of life or death.

There are two basic forms of mammograms, screening mammogram and diagnostic mammogram.  A diagnostic mammogram is utilized when there is a suspicion of breast cancer either from a breast lump, breast mass, thickening or nipple discharge.  Within the medical field, there is a standardization when it comes to mammogram reading, which aid in determining the probability of malignancy and need for further testing.

As with most things, the mammogram is only as good as the person who interprets it.  Too often radiologists misread these important imaging results or fail to communicate the findings to the doctors.  Also, there have been cases where the mammogram results were misfiled or lost without ever being read.

If you or a family member had a delayed breast cancer diagnosis due to a misread mammogram, you may be entitled to compensation.  You should contact a Louisville medical malpractice attorney at Gray and White Law today at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033 for legal advice.