Knee injuries are common between both athletes and non-athletes who participate in an active lifestyle, such as residents of New York who have an opportunity to ski in the mountains or go running. However, the diagnosis of the knee injury is not the same between athletes and non-athletes, and misdiagnosis of the knee injury could potentially lead to more extensive and invasive procedures that are not needed.
Knee injuries in skiers
In a recent study of 210 adolescent children, alpine skiers’ nuclear MRI scans were obtained, and distal femoral cortical irregularities (DFCIs) were found at a 31% greater rate than in the control group. As DFCIs are exasperated by repetitive mechanical stress on a joint or tendon, such as the knee, this finding is not a surprise. However, a diagnosis of DFCI is not always the first diagnosis and sometimes comes through secondary or tertiary testing.
Misdiagnosis of DFCIs
Misdiagnosis of DFCIs, which are benign lesions, can sometimes be mistaken for malignancy. A normal procedure after a diagnosis of malignancy is a biopsy, but this invasive procedure should be avoided as other less invasive procedures such as a follow-up MRI could be useful in identifying the DFCI. A physician should take into account the activities of the individual and recognize that the repetitive strain on a joint may result in the misdiagnosis of a malignant tumor.
If you’ve been misdiagnosed
If you have been misdiagnosed and subjected to additional invasive procedures due to the misdiagnosis, you may have been a subject of medical malpractice. Consulting an attorney who works in medical malpractice may help you receive compensation for your time and medical expenses due to a misdiagnosis.