AI-powered transcription tools are often marketed as faster and cheaper alternatives to human transcription. But when it comes to medico-legal work, accuracy isn’t just important—it’s critical. The problem? AI lacks the nuanced understanding of human professionals, leading to dangerous errors in transcriptions. A single misheard term could result in a misdiagnosis, legal misinterpretation, or even patient harm. Here are 20 commonly confused medico-legal terms that AI transcription tools often get wrong:
1. Hypertension vs. Hypertensive Crisis
- Hypertension = high blood pressure
- Hypertensive Crisis = a life-threatening emergency
2. Metastasis vs. Metastable
- Metastasis = the spread of cancer
- Metastable = a physics term unrelated to medicine
3. Myocardial Infarction vs. Myocardial Infraction
- Myocardial Infarction = heart attack
- Myocardial Infraction = an incorrect term that means nothing
4. Neurology vs. Nephrology
- Neurology = study of the nervous system
- Nephrology = study of the kidneys
5. Sepsis vs. Septicemia
- Sepsis = the body’s extreme response to an infection
- Septicemia = an infection in the blood
6. Hypoglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia
- Hypoglycemia = low blood sugar
- Hyperglycemia = high blood sugar
7. Anxiety vs. Angina
- Anxiety = mental health condition
- Angina = chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart
8. Aneurysm vs. Arrhythmia
- Aneurysm = ballooning of a blood vessel
- Arrhythmia = irregular heartbeat
9. Dysphagia vs. Dysphasia
- Dysphagia = difficulty swallowing
- Dysphasia = difficulty speaking
10. Cervical vs. Cerebral
- Cervical = relating to the neck or cervix
- Cerebral = relating to the brain
11. Ejection Fraction vs. Injection Fraction
- Ejection Fraction = a measure of heart function
- Injection Fraction = an incorrect, non-medical term
12. Polyp vs. Pulp
- Polyp = abnormal tissue growth
- Pulp = soft tissue inside a tooth
13. Prophylaxis vs. Paralysis
- Prophylaxis = preventative treatment
- Paralysis = loss of movement
14. Tinnitus vs. Tendinitis
- Tinnitus = ringing in the ears
- Tendinitis = inflammation of a tendon
15. Trauma vs. Thrombosis
- Trauma = physical or emotional injury
- Thrombosis = formation of a blood clot
16. Bowel vs. Bile
- Bowel = part of the digestive system
- Bile = digestive fluid from the liver
17. Carcinoma vs. Sarcoma
- Carcinoma = cancer of epithelial cells
- Sarcoma = cancer of connective tissue
18. Abduction vs. Adduction
- Abduction = movement away from the body
- Adduction = movement towards the body
19. Hyperplasia vs. Hypertrophy
- Hyperplasia = increase in cell number
- Hypertrophy = increase in cell size
20. Acute vs. Chronic
- Acute = sudden onset
- Chronic = long-lasting condition
Why AI Gets It Wrong – and Why It Matters
AI transcription tools rely on machine learning and pattern recognition. But they struggle with: ✔ Strong accents and dialects ✔ Overlapping speech or background noise ✔ Context-dependent medical and legal terminology ✔ Complex sentence structures Unlike AI, human transcriptionists understand nuance, context and critical thinking—qualities that prevent dangerous misinterpretations.
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