According to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (1920), Error is defined as a “defect in structure or function.” or “a mistaken decision”. Medical professionals are humans, they are bound to make mistakes one way or another. Sometimes their mistakes get by with a slap on the wrist, but other errors may have fatal consequences. This is why every medical professional should know and understand the dangers of medical errors or malpractice to avoid any mistakes from happening.
Medical imaging is the first step to finding a diagnosis, this means that an imaging practitioner should be very careful while taking diagnostic images as it leads directly to finding the cause and treatment of a patient’s disease. Ultrasound is one of the most commonly used imaging methods, and although it is safe as a procedure -- due to its lack of ionizing radiation -- making errors during it can be of dire consequences.
- Clinical History and Examination: when a patient first approaches their ultrasound appointment, it is imperative to communicate with the sonographer and present their entire clinical history as this would give them the first clue to a proper diagnosis, which is why the sonographer needs to be provided with the necessary information.
- Technical Equipment: once the patient is ready for their exam, the sonographer must have enough knowledge on the technical equipment in front of them to select the correct probes and transducers and apply the appropriate settings for the different regions of the body. Otherwise, they will find immense difficulty in optimising the image quality, which can lead to a faulty diagnosis.
- Perception and Knowledge: during the exam, the sonographer must pay high attention to the smallest of details in order to detect any abnormalities in the patient’s body. This is why prior knowledge of the regular anatomic structures is very important to have, in order to compare it with any possible abnormalities present within the patient.
- Diagnosis: knowing the correct anatomic structures isn’t only important in distinguishing between normal and abnormal structures, it is also of utmost importance when it comes to diagnosing these abnormalities. Interpreting the images correctly will set the course of treatment for the patient, this is why it is crucial to get a second opinion to confirm the diagnosis so the patient doesn’t go on the wrong course of treatment.
- Other Imaging Techniques: like any other imaging modality, ultrasound has its limitations, which is why sonographers and patients should seek other modalities -- like computed tomography and MRI -- to look at the abnormality or possible abnormality from another angle to confirm its presence or diagnosis, and not recommending any other modalities may have severe consequences.
Pinto, A., Pinto, F., Faggian, A., Rubini, G., Caranci, F.,
Macarini, L., Genovese, E. A., & Brunese, L. (2013). Sources of error in
emergency ultrasonography. Critical Ultrasound Journal, 5(S1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/2036-7902-5-s1-s1
Stedman, T. (1920). Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. In Google Books.
Dalcassian Publishing Company.
https://books.google.com.bh/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8aPWDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&ots=FUOqzUfBDQ&sig=vf6YVNCXwA3dWWIxqF1NlF8Q84E&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
0 Comments