Clinical Neuroradiology

Abstract

Report of a 50-year-old woman who had acute severe headache and neck pain with vomiting, reduced general condition as well as transient disturbances of vision and speech. The general practitioner and the emergency physician, who saw the patient at the weekend, prescribed analgetics. The neurologist, who was consulted 6 days after the acute onset, arranged a computed tomography ({CT).} This was done by a radiologist exclusively after injection of contrast medium at the same day and he diagnosed it as normal. A severe deterioration of the patient's status occurred in the following night. After that, she was transported to a neurosurgical clinic. There, the noncontrast {CT} showed residues of a subarachnoid hemorrhage in the right Sylvian fissure. An aneurysm of the right middle cerebral artery and vasospasms were found relating to angiography. After delayed surgery and a long-lasting rehabilitation the patient was transferred into a nursing home. A suit was filed against the treating physicians. The court condemned the emergency physician and the radiologist as joint and several debtors to pay a compensation of 212,307.03 Euros. The defendants appeal against this judgment. copyright 2008 Urban & Vogel.