Dr. Gerard Nuovo said he was punished after he brought the misdiagnosis of hundreds of patients to the university's attention. He filed the lawsuit in federal court this week, 10TV's Brittany Westbrook reported.

Nuovo built a career in cervical pathology, has written textbooks on the subject and has worked at Ohio State for 10 years.

"The key point of cervical pathology is to look under the microscope and determine whether or not a woman has been affected by the human papilloma virus, and if she has then it's our job to get a grade as to the severity of the infection," Nuovo said.

In 2006, Nuovo said he found something unexpected under the microscope.

"Some of the people reviewing the slides, the error rate, the rate of making the diagnosis of this infection when it wasn't actually there was higher than expected," Nuovo said.

A five to ten percent chance of error is generally accepted, but Nuovo said technicians were making double that rate misdiagnosing hundreds of women. He brought his concern to the chair of the pathology department, Westbook reported.

"I wrote a letter saying we have problem and I think we can fix it," Nuovo said.

That fix he said was better training. Instead, Nuovo said he was demoted, his salary slashed and he was accused of scientific fraud -- a charge that was later found to be baseless.

"It was horrible, I simply told the truth it was my expertise and I just didn't understand why that reaction," Nuovo said.

The doctor filed a lawsuit against the university to see his reputation and position restored and the problem fixed, Westbook reported.

"It's been humiliating to have to go through this," Nuovo said. "I know there are people who are not getting the best medical care, and that's the most frustrating part of the whole thing, that's the most humiliating part of the whole thing."

In a statement to 10TV, The Ohio State University Medical Center said it "stands by the quality of care for its patients and (intends) to vigorously defend against these unfounded allegations."

The Ohio Medical Board said patient complaints, if any, are confidential.

Nuovo's attorney, William Patmon, said his office has received several calls from patients since 10TV News first reported the lawsuit on Thursday.

Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for more information.

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