Medical Malpractice > Misread X-Rays, CT Scans, and MRIs

Over the past 40 years, medical technology has dramatically changed how doctors diagnose diseases and illnesses. Diagnostic imaging, including X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and more, allowed for non-invasive diagnosis of various conditions. Diagnostic images are crucial in diagnosing serious illnesses and getting patients the necessary treatment on the path to recovery. Patients can suffer from medical negligence or misdiagnosis if a doctor or radiologist misinterprets X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. As a result, patients’ undiagnosed and untreated conditions can become worse or even life-threatening. If you believe a doctor or radiologist misread your diagnostic imaging and missed important information that affected your prognosis, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. A radiologist malpractice attorney at Montross Miller can review the details of your unique situation and help you decide your best path forward.

CAN A RADIOLOGIST BE SUED FOR NEGLIGENCE?

If a radiologist misses something important on your scan, you may wonder whether you can take legal action. In many cases, the answer is yes, but only when the mistake meets the legal definition of medical negligence.

Medical malpractice does not punish honest differences of opinion between qualified professionals. It focuses on preventable lapses—the kind a careful radiologist or physician would have avoided—that result in real harm, delayed treatment, or unnecessary suffering.

A radiologist may be held liable if they misread or fail to interpret an image according to accepted medical standards. But they aren’t the only ones who may share responsibility. Sometimes a technician fails to follow proper scanning procedures, or a treating doctor doesn’t order follow-up tests, communicate results, or supervise the process as required.

Each case involves multiple professionals who have distinct duties to patients. An experienced medical negligence attorney can investigate the full care chain, from the imaging order to the final report, to determine exactly where and how the breakdown occurred.

IS A MISREAD X-RAY, CT SCAN, OR MRI MALPRACTICE?

Misread imaging can happen even in careful medical settings, and not every error creates a valid legal case. Medical malpractice begins when three elements line up:

NEGLIGENCE

Did the radiologist or treating provider act below the level of care that a competent professional would provide? Examples include reading a scan without comparing it to prior imaging, using the wrong protocols, overlooking a clear abnormality, or failing to directly communicate a critical finding to the treatment team.

CAUSATION

Did the mistake cause harm? When an imaging error delays or misguides care, conditions can worsen or opportunities for timely treatment can disappear. Doctors may miss a tumor that isn’t diagnosed until a later, less treatable stage. Missed fractures can shift because they aren’t stabilized timely, and faulty interpretations can trigger unnecessary procedures.

DAMAGES

Did the error produce measurable losses? Applicable losses can include added medical bills, time away from work, new caregiving or transportation costs, lasting pain or functional limits, and the emotional toll that comes with uncertainty.

Think about how your story fits those elements. Did your symptoms persist, while your report said “no acute findings” and didn’t raise red flags? Did a later clinician identify a problem that the earlier scan should have revealed? Did you undergo treatment that failed because the true diagnosis arrived late? These patterns suggest that the miss did more than inconvenience you; it changed the outcome of your recovery.

CONSEQUENCES OF MISREAD SCANS

Imaging drives decisions at nearly every stage of care. When a clinician misreads an X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, or mammogram, the ripple effects can impact everything from diagnosis and treatment timing to recovery, independence, and costs. Patients and families often feel confused and overwhelmed because the care plan no longer matches the lived experience. You deserve a clear picture of what a misread scan can set in motion and why quick, organized next steps matter.

LOST TREATMENT WINDOWS AND MORE SEVERE ILLNESS

Missed findings or delayed reads can close time-sensitive opportunities. Missing or delaying diagnoses often leads to measurable harm for patients. When healthcare providers identify the problem late, patients may need more invasive procedures, longer hospital stays, or therapies with a higher risk because earlier, gentler options are no longer feasible. 

UNNECESSARY PROCEDURES AND MEDICATION HARMS

An incorrect interpretation can steer care down the wrong road. Patients may undergo procedures they never needed or start medications that create side effects without treating the real condition. Those detours can add significant complications and extend recovery.

CASCADING COMPLICATIONS AFTER THE “ALL CLEAR”

When a report reassures providers but symptoms continue, the disease can progress in the background. Diagnostic errors contribute to preventable harm across healthcare systems, underscoring how “normal” imaging results can lull care teams into missing evolving threats. 

ADDED RADIATION AND TEST BURDEN

A misread study often triggers repeat scans or additional imaging of other regions. Patients accumulate radiation exposure from multiple imaging procedures, spend more time away from home and work, and face additional copays and deductibles.

FINANCIAL STRAIN THAT REACHES THE WHOLE FAMILY

Patients must shoulder additional transportation costs, take time off work, coordinate childcare coverage, and pay for medical bills that insurance may not fully reimburse. Family members often step in to manage appointments and home care, which strains schedules and savings.

FUNCTIONAL LOSS AND LIFE CHANGES

When errors delay treatment, patients can lose mobility, vision, or neurologic function that day-one care might have preserved. Life changes stemming from radiology malpractice can affect driving, employment, and independence at home.

EMOTIONAL TOLL AND TRUST EROSION

Patients reasonably expect imaging to clarify their treatment and recovery next steps. When a misread scan surfaces later, patient fears and frustrations grow. Family members and caregivers often carry stress as they coordinate specialists and paperwork while supporting the patient through uncertainty.

CARE COORDINATION HURDLES

Misread imaging results can scatter records across various healthcare portals and clinic locations. Patients must gather images, reports, and messages to create a single source of truth for second opinions and ongoing treatment. Communication gaps, rather than image-reading mistakes alone, frequently drive preventable harm.

HOW OFTEN DO RADIOLOGISTS MAKE MISTAKES?

Radiology delivers enormous value; however, no specialty reads images perfectly. Peer-reviewed research in the American Journal of Roentgenology estimates that radiologists make interpretive errors in roughly 4% of everyday reads in clinical practice.

Other research and analyses of radiology mistakes report higher, broader error rates based on differing definitions of “error” or reporting on specific contexts and case mixes. For example, Radiology Business says the error rate of chest radiographs is approximately 30%, a rate that reflects the speed, volume, and complexity of chest imaging in busy environments. Reviews that focus on emergency care, high-acuity presentations, or subtle findings often show higher discrepancy proportions than studies that include routine follow-ups or obvious abnormalities.

Workload and timing factors can also dramatically influence accuracy. An American Journal of Neuroradiology analysis of imaging volumes during radiologists’ shifts documents a clear volume-error relationship. Readers handling 19-26 results per shift or fewer post the lowest error rates. When shift volumes rise to 67-90 images to study, error rates jump 226%. Long backlogs and packed lists push clinicians to read faster, which increases the chance that small but meaningful abnormalities slip by.

The time of day for readings also matters. Research in Radiology, the journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), shows radiologists make more errors overnight than during daytime assignments, even when they work on the same types of imaging. The RSNA ties the higher discrepancy rate to fatigue and decreased immediate access to subspecialty consultation during overnight hours.

The numbers alone never tell the whole story, but radiology imaging diagnoses maintain a measurable, persistent error risk, and that risk rises with higher volume, overnight work, and gaps in communication. Patients and families cannot eliminate that risk, but they can help reduce it by asking providers practical questions up front:

• “Who will read the study, and when can I expect the final report?”
• “Will you compare today’s images with my prior scans?”
• “How will you contact my treating clinician if the result requires urgent action?”

Pursue Justice with the Radiology Malpractice Attorneys at Montross Miller

Time is of the essence in medical malpractice cases. An experienced negligence and malpractice attorney from Montross Miller can help answer questions, obtain medical records, negotiate a settlement, or file a claim within Indiana’s two-year statute of limitations. 

Contact the Montross Miller team today if you believe you or a loved one have experienced radiology malpractice. Our experienced malpractice attorneys and medical professionals can review your specific circumstances, answer any questions, and provide the guidance you need.