Undetected bronchogenic carcinoma: Potentially resectable lesions evident in retrospect on chest radiographs

Twenty cases were collected in which chest radiographs retrospectively showed potentially resectable bronchogenic carcinoma initially undetected by board-certified radiologists (median interval to detection, 10 months). Mean diameter of the missed lesions was 1.7 cm (range, 0.6-3.4 cm). Eleven lesions (55%) were in the apical or posterior segment of an upper lobe. Six experienced radiologists then reviewed the cases. Despite the bias of knowing that each subject had a missed cancer, each radiologist missed a mean of 4.0 lesions (20%) (range, three to six lesions). Twelve lesions (60%) were undetected by at least one of the six radiologists. Medical-legal implications are discussed