Failure to Detect Tumors in Radiology

Understanding the Failure to Detect Tumors in Radiology

Radiology plays a critical role in catching diseases like cancer early. Yet even skilled radiologists sometimes fail to detect tumors on imaging scans. These missed tumor diagnoses (often called “false negatives” or radiology misinterpretation of tumors) can have devastating consequences for patients. Studies estimate that diagnostic errors contribute to a significant number of patient harms: about 795,000 Americans are permanently disabled or die each year from medical misdiagnoses. Cancers are among the top causes of these serious harms, meaning that undiagnosed cancer imaging errors are a major concern. In Georgia alone, the impact is sobering – the state ranked 11th in the nation for medical malpractice payouts in 2019, reflecting many cases that include missed diagnoses. Below, we explore how and why tumors get missed in radiology, the consequences for patients, and the legal implications in Georgia. It’s an issue that demands both medical diligence and legal accountability.

How Radiologists Can Miss Tumors on Scans

Radiologists are highly trained, but they’re also human. In busy hospitals, a single radiologist might review over 100 imaging studies in one shift. Each study can contain dozens of images that demand intense focus. Under such pressure, radiology malpractice types like perceptual errors or interpretation mistakes become more likely. Here are some common reasons tumors go undiagnosed on imaging:

• Perceptual errors (overlooked abnormalities): The most frequent cause of a missed tumor diagnosis is simply not seeing the tumor on the image. Research suggests these “human misses” account for 60–80% of radiology mistakes. The tumor is present on the scan, but the radiologist’s eye may pass over it, especially if it’s very small or hidden. For example, a tiny shadow on a lung X-ray might be a tumor but go unnoticed amidst the complex anatomy.
• Interpretive errors (misreading what is seen): In other cases, the radiologist sees a spot or mass but misinterprets it as benign or insignificant. They might identify a lesion but conclude it’s a harmless cyst or artifact when in fact it’s malignant. An example is a small breast lesion on a mammogram being dismissed as normal tissue. Unfortunately, up to 5%–30% of breast cancers can be missed on screening mammograms, often due to dense breast tissue or subtle tumor appearance.
• Technical issues with imaging: Sometimes the error is not in the radiologist’s eyes but in the image itself. If the scan quality is poor – due to machine error, improper patient positioning, or inadequate technique – tumors can be literally obscured. For instance, a tumor hidden behind other structures on a chest X-ray might not be visible. It’s known that standard X-rays aren’t as sensitive as more advanced imaging; about 90% of missed lung cancers occur on chest X-rays (versus only ~5% on more detailed CT scans). In one analysis, researchers found that retrospective review of chest X-rays showed between 20–50% of lung cancer spots were initially overlooked, often because the tumors were very small or overlapped with normal anatomy.
• Communication breakdowns: Even when a radiologist does spot a suspicious tumor (or something that could be a tumor), proper communication is key. Radiology misinterpretation of tumors isn’t just failing to see the lesion – it can also mean failing to sound the alarm. If a radiologist notes a possible tumor but doesn’t clearly communicate the findings and urgency to the treating physician, critical follow-up can fall through the cracks. For example, if an MRI report mentions a “small mass, suggest follow-up,” but that message isn’t relayed promptly, a patient may not learn of the finding until much later. Georgia courts recognize this duty: radiologists have an obligation to ensure urgent findings are communicated because delays can put patients in danger.

Common Tumors Missed in Radiology

Certain tumor types appear frequently in radiology malpractice cases. Lung tumors are a prime example. Lung cancer often first appears as a small nodule on a chest X-ray or CT scan. Missed lung tumors are a well-documented problem – one study found that about 19% of lung cancers were missed on the initial chest radiograph, only to be discovered later in retrospect. Small nodules can hide behind ribs or the heart shadow on an X-ray, tricking the eye. Breast tumors can also be missed, particularly in mammography. Dense breast tissue can mask cancerous lesions, and tiny calcifications or masses might not stand out. As noted, false-negative mammograms (when cancer is present but not detected) occur in an estimated 5–30% of screening exams, meaning a significant portion of breast cancers may initially go undiagnosed. Brain tumors present another challenge. On a head CT or MRI, a very small brain tumor or one in an unusual location might be mistaken for normal anatomy or an imaging artifact. For instance, a tiny tumor could be dismissed as a benign variation if the radiologist isn’t suspicious enough, especially if the patient’s symptoms aren’t classic. Each of these scenarios – a lung nodule missed on an X-ray, a breast mass overlooked on a mammogram, a brain tumor not recognized on a scan – underscores how tumor identification errors happen even under the care of good professionals. Understanding these patterns is the first step in preventing them.

Delayed Diagnosis: Consequences for Patients

When a radiologist misses a tumor, the patient loses something precious: time. A delayed cancer diagnosis means the disease has additional weeks, months, or even years to grow unchecked. The consequences of undiagnosed cancer imaging can be life-altering:

• Disease progression: A tumor that might have been caught early (and treated while small) can advance to a more dangerous stage. For example, if a 1-centimeter lung nodule is overlooked on an initial scan and only discovered later when it’s 3 or 4 centimeters, the cancer may have spread or become less responsive to treatment. In one clinical review, about 43% of patients with a missed lung lesion saw their cancer progress to a higher stage by the time it was finally diagnosed. This progression translated to a much lower survival rate – in that study, five-year survival dropped from ~61% to 38% once the tumor advanced. It’s a stark illustration: missing a tumor can literally change a patient’s odds of beating the disease.
• More aggressive treatments: Early-stage cancers are often treatable with localized therapy – a small surgery or targeted radiation. But a cancer that’s detected late might require far more aggressive interventions. Patients may end up needing chemotherapy, extensive surgeries, or treatments that would have been avoidable had the tumor been caught sooner. A missed breast tumor on a mammogram, for instance, might mean the difference between a lumpectomy (removing a small tumor) versus a mastectomy or chemo if it’s found only after it grows.
• Worse outcomes and higher mortality risk: Sadly, some patients lose their lives because of diagnostic delays. The longer a malignancy goes untreated, the greater the chance it can become incurable. It’s estimated that diagnostic errors (including missed cancers) are a leading cause of serious harm in healthcare. A Johns Hopkins report highlighted that vascular events, infections, and cancers – the “Big Three” – account for about 75% of serious misdiagnosis-related harms. This includes many cases of cancer that, had they been identified in imaging in time, might have had better prognoses. In Georgia, nearly 2,800 deaths per year are attributed to medical errors, and delayed diagnosis is a major contributor to these tragedies.
• Emotional and financial toll: Beyond the clinical ramifications, there is a profound human cost. Patients often experience anger, confusion, and grief knowing that an earlier diagnosis might have changed their journey. Families may watch a loved one endure harsher treatments or decline in health, all the while wondering “what if the radiologist had caught it sooner?” There are financial burdens too – longer treatments and advanced disease can mean higher medical bills, lost income, and more strain on family resources. The trust between patient and healthcare system is also eroded, which can deter people from seeking care or following up on future tests.

Real-world cases powerfully illustrate these consequences. In one Georgia case handled by our firm, a routine emergency room scan failed to diagnose a critical vascular lesion in the brain (a type of abnormality similar to a tumor in its risk). The young patient’s condition worsened drastically and only later was the issue found – a delay that led to a $9.9 million settlement for the family. While every situation is different, the message is the same: failing to detect a tumor in radiology can change the course of someone’s life. Our goal as advocates is to ensure those patients are not left to bear that burden alone.

The Intersection of Radiology Errors and Georgia Malpractice Law

When a Georgia radiologist misreads an image or misses a tumor that should have been caught, it’s not just a medical issue – it can become a legal issue. Medical malpractice law is the mechanism that allows patients to seek accountability and compensation for the harm caused by such errors. Here’s how radiology errors fit into Georgia malpractice law:

Standard of care for radiologists: Under Georgia law, radiologists are held to the same standard as any physician: they must use the degree of care and skill that a reasonably competent radiologist in a similar situation would use. This standard (codified in O.C.G.A. § 51-1-27) acknowledges that medicine isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t excuse negligence. Failing to detect a clearly visible tumor that most peers would have caught could be viewed as a breach of the standard of care. Similarly, misinterpreting an obvious cancerous lesion as benign, when a careful reading would flag it, may constitute negligence. To pursue a malpractice claim, a patient (plaintiff) needs to prove that the radiologist deviated from this professional standard.

The need for expert testimony: Georgia requires that another qualified medical expert – typically another radiologist – testify that a breach of the standard of care occurred. This means in a malpractice case we must have a radiology expert review the films and the context, and then opine that the defendant radiologist made an error no reasonable radiologist should make. For example, an expert might state, “On this CT scan, any competent radiologist would have identified the 2 cm liver tumor; failing to do so fell below the accepted standard.” This expert testimony is crucial to establish negligence in court.

Proving causation and harm: A unique challenge in radiology malpractice cases is linking the missed diagnosis to the patient’s injury. It’s not enough to show the radiologist erred – we must show that the delay in diagnosis caused a worse outcome. Georgia law requires patients to prove that the radiology error directly caused their harm. In other words, had the tumor been spotted when it should have, the patient would be better off today. This often involves complex medical testimony. For instance, if a radiologist missed an early-stage cancer, a medical expert (such as an oncologist) might need to explain that earlier detection would have made a significant difference – perhaps the cancer would have been curable at Stage I, but by Stage III it required harsher treatment and carries a lower survival chance. The Georgia Supreme Court has made clear that showing this “what if caught earlier” link is essential. While challenging, it’s not impossible – our legal team gathers medical records, brings in specialists, and builds a timeline to demonstrate how the delay impacted the patient’s prognosis.

Accountability and legal outcomes: If negligence and causation are proven, the radiologist (and sometimes the hospital or radiology group) can be held liable for damages. Georgia allows recovery for a range of damages in malpractice cases – from medical costs and lost wages to pain, suffering, and in tragic cases of death, wrongful death damages. In radiology error cases, damages often reflect the cost of additional treatments needed due to the delay and the pain of a worsened condition. We have seen substantial verdicts and settlements when egregious misses occur. In fact, our firm achieved what is reported to be the largest private radiology malpractice settlement in Georgia – $9.75 million – in a case where a misread CT scan led to a patient’s catastrophic injury. While results vary, Georgia juries and insurers do recognize that a missed diagnosis which causes real harm deserves accountability.

Why experienced counsel matters: Radiology malpractice cases are technically complex. They sit at the crossroads of medicine and law, requiring careful review of imaging studies and authoritative expert support. Georgia has specific procedural hurdles too (like the requirement of an expert affidavit at the time of filing a lawsuit, attesting to the negligence). As attorneys who focus exclusively on medical negligence, we understand these nuances. Our team has handled numerous cases of radiology errors – from missed tumors to other critical misreads – and we know how to navigate the legal system on behalf of injured patients. Importantly, pursuing a claim is not just about compensation; it’s also about shining a light on errors so that hospitals and radiology practices improve their standards, potentially preventing future mistakes. Georgia law, while plaintiff-friendly in allowing victims to seek justice, also demands a thorough and well-prepared case. That’s why having skilled legal representation is key when taking on a complex radiology malpractice lawsuit.

Moving Forward After a Missed Tumor Diagnosis

The realization that a tumor was there “all along” on your X-ray, CT, or MRI – and was missed – can be overwhelming. Patients and families often feel betrayed by the healthcare system and uncertain about what to do next. First and foremost, ensure you’re now getting the medical care you need; seeing the right specialists and starting appropriate treatment is paramount. From a legal standpoint, you have the right to explore whether the radiologist’s error amounts to malpractice and to seek accountability for the harm done.

At Davis Adams, we approach these situations with a blend of compassion and determination. We know that behind every radiology error statistic is a person whose life was upended. Our team has a deep background in radiology malpractice and misdiagnosis cases – including complex cancer misdiagnoses – and we’ve seen firsthand how a missed tumor diagnosis can devastate a family. We’ve also seen how a successful legal resolution can provide not just financial relief, but a sense of justice and closure. While we never promise specific results, we do pledge to every client that we will listen to your story, investigate every detail, and fight for the best outcome under the law.

If you or a loved one have been harmed by a radiologist’s failure to detect a tumor, you don’t have to navigate the aftermath alone. Consider reaching out to discuss your options with a qualified medical malpractice attorney experienced in cancer misdiagnosis. Our consultations are free, and we can help determine if what happened meets the legal definition of negligence. Beyond the legal case, we strive to offer support and guidance during what is undoubtedly a difficult time. Healing from the medical ordeal is your priority – let us handle the legal burdens.

Every patient deserves accurate, timely diagnosis. When that standard isn’t met, the law provides a pathway to accountability. By addressing radiology errors openly and justly, we not only aim to secure compensation for those injured, but also help drive improvements in medical safety. You and your family have been through enough. If you suspect a radiology mistake has caused harm, we invite you to contact our team at Davis Adams for a compassionate, professional consultation.

We are here to listen, advise, and pursue justice – so you can focus on your health and recovery.