Latest Blood Clot Detection Test Could Save Lives

A new test to detect blood clots could save thousands of lives per year. The test, which utilizes Positron Emission Tomography (commonly known as a PET scan), identifies places with an irregular buildup of GPIIB/IIIA receptors. These have been associated with dense platelet concentrations, which occur in blood clots.

A reliable test for blood clots is necessary, as doctors consistently under-diagnosed this dangerous disease. Failure to diagnose blood clots regularly leads to strokes, cardiac events, and even sudden death. Yet despite these significant risks, physicians fail to recognize symptoms in time.

A test like this, which does not require a doctor to interpret symptoms, could be a literal lifesaver. Unfortunately, doctors will still need to order the test, and some will want to rely on their diagnostic skills instead, even though relying on those skills risks the health of hundreds of thousands of people a year.

Modern technology has already revolutionized the medical profession. But continuing to innovate is extremely important. Though imaging and other tests have improved the rate at which many diseases are promptly identified and treated, there are some conditions that continue to lag in proper diagnosis. Blood clots are one of the most insidious of these, as they can lie in wait for years before breaking free to cause a stroke or heart attack. Even before they break free, restricted blood flow can cause nerve damage or even nerve death in the affected areas.

If you or someone you love has suffered due to failure to diagnose blood clots, you are well aware of how important this new test could be. Still, the best thing you can do right now is to hold the physician who missed the diagnosis responsible. Until doctors are held accountable, missed diagnoses will still occur far too often. Please, retain an experienced lawyer who can help you with your case.