Thousands of Northern B.C. patients’ X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds might have been misread

Thousands of patients in northwestern B.C. are being told their X-ray, CT scan and ultrasound formula might have been improperly analysed.

The images were taken during Terrace’s Mills Memorial Hospital between October, 2016 and January, 2017.

“We found  some inconsistencies with a reading and stating of medical images of one radiologist,” pronounced Dr. Ronald Chapman, clamp boss of medicine for Northern Health. 

‘What was reported was not in fact … on a X-ray’

“Physicians are human,” pronounced Chapman. “They do make mistakes.”

Chapman says a problem was initial identified, Jan. 25.

“What we found in this box — what was reported, was not in fact what was on a X-ray,” he said.

Physicians are human. They do make mistakes.
– Dr. Ronald Chapman, Northern Health clamp boss of medicine

Officials afterwards motionless to reread all images a radiologist had analyzed.

A group of radiologists from Vancouver General Hospital is now rereading some-more than 8,400 images from 5,278 patients.

Asked if lives could be risk, Chapman replied, “That’s always a risk.”

Cancer patients a priority 

Chapman pronounced cancer patients will be a initial to have their images reread.

All other patients should have their formula by a finish of March. 

“We changed on this as fast as we could,” pronounced Chapman.

Northern Health says all physicians and patients will be told in writing, either or not a rereading shows an error.

Radiologist on intentional leave 

 Officials say the radiologist in doubt is on intentional leave as a “quality concerns” are investigated.

Officials lifted concerns about images review by one radiologist during Terrace’s Mills Memorial Hospital between October, 2016 and January, 2017. (Northern Health)

Chapman remarkable that radiology exams are only one cause in a doctor’s diagnosis.

“It does not meant that all a strange readings are false or incomplete or that a inequality will outcome in inauspicious health impacts,” he said. 

Patients with concerns are suggested to hit their family doctor.

Concerns about intensity mistakes in radiology readings have done headlines in Quebec, Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. 

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/audit-raises-concerns-for-more-than-5-000-patients-1.3998461?cmp=rss