A recent study conducted with help from a New York radiologist has demonstrated that breast MRIs are susceptible to major error when they are performed while the patient is in the wrong position. The researchers say that MRIs should be done while the patient is in the supine position, also known as lying face-up, so that they can have the best opportunity for successful surgical results.
A recent study conducted with help from a New York radiologist has demonstrated that breast MRIs are susceptible to major error when they are performed while the patient is in the wrong position. The researchers say that MRIs should be done while the patient is in the supine position, also known as lying face-up, so that they can have the best opportunity for successful surgical results.
The breast is made of soft tissue, and it has a tendency to drape or fall in different locations depending on the angle of the torso. This means that a breast will have a different shape depending on whether the patient is facing up or down during the test. Any lump that an MRI scan might detect will be in a different place accordingly. However, surgery is always performed when the patient is lying face-up.
This fact introduces an appreciable level of error when the MRI is performed with the patient lying on her front. The breast will be in a different position, and everything within it may shift. The surgeon might not be able to find the lump in the initial place indicated by the misread test results. This has the potential to both increase the trauma of the surgery and decrease the success rate.
Patients have the right to expect reliable and up-to-date medical practices when they trust their health to medical professionals for critical surgery. An attorney may be of assistance in asserting patient rights and claiming fair compensation for injuries resulting from medical malpractice.
Source: Doctors Lounge, “Patient Positioning Might Hamper Accuracy of Breast MRI,” June 22, 2016
