Stanford Medicine Sued Over Alleged Imaging Contrast Error Leading to Patient Impairment

A lawsuit was recently initiated against Stanford Medicine, alleging that an erroneous administration of an imaging contrast agent resulted in a patient suffering significant neurological damage. Alice Brock, aged 75, along with her husband, filed the suit in the Superior Court of San Mateo County, California, on July 8. This legal action accuses healthcare providers of injecting the incorrect contrast dye during a routine imaging procedure, leading to debilitating consequences.

Brock, who has had an intrathecal baclofen pump implanted since 2012 to manage muscle spasms by delivering medication directly into the spinal canal, underwent a myelogram at the prestigious institution on July 14, 2025. However, attorneys argue that Omnipaque 350, an iodine contrast agent, was mistakenly administered into her intrathecal space—an area intended for the safe bypassing of the blood-brain barrier for drug delivery.

The lawsuit details that Brock began experiencing rapid neurological deterioration, culminating in paralysis in her legs shortly after the procedure. According to the claim, Brock was not informed about the use of the contrast agent, and she did not give consent for its administration.

Stanford Medicine has refrained from commenting on the lawsuit, citing patient privacy laws. Meanwhile, it has been disclosed that at the time of the incident, Omnipaque 350 carried an FDA-approved black box warning against intrathecal use. The warning highlighted severe risks associated with the incorrect administration, including potential for death, seizures, cerebral hemorrhaging, coma, or paralysis.

The plaintiffs charge that Stanford Medicine, its Neuroscience Health Center, Dr. Jaimie Henderson, MD, a neurosurgeon, and radiologic technologist Victor Bautista, violated their duty of care. They assert that this breach led to Brock enduring significant health issues such as reduced sensation, growing weakness, and impaired mobility. She has allegedly needed to engage additional medical professionals to mitigate the damage caused by this error and anticipates requiring further ongoing treatment.

In light of her injuries, Brock is pursuing an unspecified amount in damages to compensate for her physical pain, emotional distress, and the diminished quality of life she now experiences. The incident has forced her to abandon the multi-story home she has resided in for decades, relocating with her husband to a temporary one-story residence in Washington state. Despite using a walker for years, Brock could previously navigate her home's stairs; post-incident, even walking has become significantly more challenging.

Brock's legal representatives emphasize their intention to prevent similar incidents from occurring to other patients. As her lawyer Loren Schwartz stated, “We want to make sure this doesn’t happen to other patients.”

This case highlights the crucial importance of adherence to safety protocols in medical imaging and the need for informed consent, particularly when dealing with substances carrying significant warnings concerning their administration.