Thirty-two-year-old Regina Ruff came to the emergency room at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in the morning on July 14, 2007 complaining of shortness of breath. Ruff had a history of congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes and non-compliance with the taking of some of her medicine. At about 11:45 a.m., the…
Radiation has been a great boon to medicine, helping doctors reveal hidden problems, including broken bones, lung lesions, heart defects and tumors. It can be used to treat and sometimes cure certain cancers. Now researchers are pointing to its potentially serious side effects: the ability to damage DNA and, 10…
A new study shows that white children are more likely than black or Hispanic children to receive CT scans following minor head injuries, exposing them to the dangers of excess radiation. The study was conducted by Dr. Prashant Mahajan of the Children’s Medical Center of Michigan and other researchers. The…
In many medical malpractice lawsuits, plaintiffs are critical of physicians for failing to make proper referrals or diagnose a condition in a timely fashion. However, if the patient does not keep appointments or take some responsibility in their own care, then it is difficult to find fault with the physician.…
Medicine is a healing profession; as patients we look to our physicians to cure our ailments and relieve our pain. However, in order to heal us, doctors must first diagnose the problem – a quick and speedy diagnosis is often the key to a successful recovery. Likewise, when there is…
A $4.5 million settlement was reached between Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center and the family of a man who died after his bladder ruptured at the Chicago hospital. The claims in the wrongful death case of The Estate of Krzysztof Bialas v. Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center, No.…
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for a large range of cancers and has been responsible for saving, or at least extending, many peoples’ lives. However, the basic premise of radiation therapy involves targeting and killing cancerous cells in one’s body. And while properly administered radiation therapy can save lives,…
Several studies have recently investigated the dangers of different radiology scans and the possibility of radiation overexposure. While many of these radiology scans are important diagnostic tools, research has suggested that many physicians are unaware of the dangers of several different scans, or else are poorly informed about the inherent…
Oftentimes cancerous tumors are recognized in the process of investigating another medical problem. For example, a woman presents complaining of weight loss and an exam reveals breast cancer. Because early diagnosis of cancer can drastically improve the patient’s survival rate it is important that physicians capitalize on these opportunities. In…
A recently published government report has sparked additional concerns regarding the risk of overexposure to radiation from unnecessary radiology scans. The results of the national report on medical imaging practices shows that Illinois hospitals provide double chest CT scans almost twice as often as other hospitals nationwide. A double chest…