COMPUTERIZED AXIAL TOMOGRAPHY SCAN CONTRAST REACTION CASE
SETTLED OUT OF COURT
The family of a Florida man who had been comatose for 3 years, sued for negligence
allegedly arising out of a contrast reaction during a CAT scan that caused the man to
go into shock and then a coma. The plaintiffs maintained that the hospital staff had
been negligent in failing to react quickly enough to prevent permanent harm. In the
.3 million settlement, the hospital paid million, the two radiologists paid
million, and the pulmonary specialist paid 0,000.
4-20. OVERSTEPPING ONE'S BOUNDS
a. The x-ray technologist should take pains not to overstep the bounds of the
practice. A radiographer should not, for example, perform a procedure that has not
been ordered by the physician. For example, a radiologist orders an x-ray of the knee.
The radiographer does the film as requested, but detects an abnormality and, thus,
decides to do a view of the entire leg, reasoning that additional views of an adjacent
area would be helpful. The radiographer should, in such a case, call the requesting
physician to see if the additional study is, in fact, needed. Taking it upon oneself to do
extra x-rays can lead to additional problems. If, for example, the patient knew that the
physician had only ordered an x-ray of the knee, he or she might become upset when
the x-ray technologist touched the entire leg. The patient could quite conceivably
interpret this as an untoward advance, which could precipitate a complaint for
inappropriate behavior or a lawsuit for needless exposure to radiation.
b. Since radiologists may be held accountable for the negligent acts of x-ray
technologists occurring within the scope of employment, the radiologist must be
conscientious about defining the duties of each particular x-ray technologist. He or she
should also provide for proper supervision. Improper delegation of duties or inadequate
supervision can lead to litigation. The x-ray technologist, for his or her part, should also
be aware of the potential risks involved if such irregularities do exist. (See next page for
anecdote, 'Toddler Dies...")
4-21. FALLING SHORT OF THE SCOPE OF ONE'S DUTIES
As important as staying within the parameters of your scope of duty is not falling
short of what is expected. To meet the standard of care established for your profession,
you must perform every aspect of your job to the best of your ability, with alertness to
the particular needs of the patient, and a sense of responsibility and commitment to the
task at hand. Falling short can have dire consequences. A breach of the standard of
care is one element of proving actionable negligence.
MD0067
4-44