If a radiographer shares a patient's X-ray of a celebrity with a friend not directly involved with the patient's care, what may they be accused of?

Sharing a patient's X-ray, especially of a celebrity, with someone who is not directly involved in the patient's care constitutes a breach of confidentiality. Medical professionals have an ethical and legal obligation to protect patient information, which includes their medical records and imaging results. Confidentiality ensures that patient data is kept private and only disclosed to individuals directly involved in their healthcare or when there is explicit consent from the patient. By sharing the X-ray with a friend, the radiographer violates this principle, exposing the patient’s sensitive information without proper authorization.

Negligence typically refers to a failure to provide the expected standard of care resulting in harm to a patient, while malpractice involves a breach of duty that results in harm. Informed consent is related to ensuring that patients are adequately informed about procedures and potential risks before agreeing to them. However, neither negligence, malpractice, nor informed consent violations directly address the specific act of improperly sharing confidential information, making breach of confidentiality the most relevant and accurate accusation in this context.