@article{7242,
  author = {Sandra Diaz and Olle Ekberg},
  title = {The frequency of diagnostic errors in radiologic reports depends on the patient's age.},
  abstract = {<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Patients who undergo treatment may suffer preventable medical errors. Some of these errors are due to diagnostic imaging procedures.</p><p><b>PURPOSE: </b>To compare the frequency of diagnostic errors in different age groups in an urban European population.</p><p><b>MATERIAL AND METHODS: </b>A total of 19 129 reported radiologic examinations were included. During a 6-month period, the analyzed age groups were: children (aged 0-9 years), adults (40-49 years), and elderly (86-95 years).</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>The frequency of radiologic examinations per year was 0.3 in children, 0.6 in adults, and 1.1 in elderly. Significant errors were significantly more frequent in the elderly (1.7%) and children (1.4%) compared with adults (0.8%). There were 60 false-positive reports and 232 false-negative reports. Most errors were made by staff radiologists after hours when they reported on examinations outside their area of expertise.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>Diagnostic errors are more frequent in children and the elderly compared with middle-aged adults.</p>},
  year = {2010},
  journal = {Acta Radiol},
  volume = {51},
  pages = {934-8},
  month = {10/2010},
  issn = {1600-0455},
  doi = {10.3109/02841851.2010.503192},
  language = {eng},
}