Individuals in North Carolina who may be at risk for breast cancer may be interested in a recent study relating the accuracy of MRI scans. It appears that how a patient is positioned during the imaging can have a seriously detrimental effect on the accuracy of the surgery.
As the breast is composed of soft and motile matter, it is easy for its structure and shape to change depending on the pull of gravity at the moment of imaging. A breast can look entirely different in an MRI scan depending on whether the patient was lying on their front or back. No matter what position the patient is in for the MRI, the surgery is always done from the front. The patient will be lying on their back at the time of surgery.
According to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a face-up MRI will provide more accurate information for doctors. A poor MRI may lead directly to a failure to diagnose the location and extent of the lump correctly. It could force the surgeon to explore more deeply in order to remove all the necessary tissue or cause them to miss affected areas.
Patients who have suffered through inaccurate and ineffective surgeries may wish to consider filing a civil suit against the medical professionals who caused them undue harm. Patients have a right to ask for compensation for the injuries resulting from medical malpractice, and an attorney may be able to help them craft a lawsuit that reflects their concerns and states the restitution that they envision.
Source: Doctors Lounge, “Patient Positioning Might Hamper Accuracy of Breast MRI,” June 22, 2016