Scans reviewed amid concerns about radiologist

More than 1,000 CT scans carried retired successful Scotland person been reviewed aft concerns were raised astir the enactment of 1 advisor radiologist, BBC Scotland News has learned.

The medic was liable for interpreting the elaborate images of interior assemblage parts and identifying wellness issues similar cancer.

The scans were carried retired astatine hospitals astir the state and assessed by 1 of a cardinal excavation of experts moving for the Scottish National Radiology Reporting Service (SNRRS) betwixt April 2022 and July 2024.

It is understood that the reappraisal recovered that astir 10 patients had perchance been affected.

The SNRRS said the patients would beryllium contacted by their section NHS committee to sermon further action.

They added that the advisor radiologist astatine the centre of reappraisal nary longer works for the SNRRS.

It is understood that accusation astir the reappraisal has been provided to the wellness committee wherever the radiologist usually works.

A CT scan takes elaborate pictures of the wrong of your body.

According to the NHS, it tin beryllium utilized to:

• check bones oregon interior organs aft an accident
• find retired if symptoms are caused by a information specified arsenic cancer
• see however good attraction is working, specified arsenic checking the size of a tumour
• help doctors spot wrong a person's assemblage during a process specified arsenic a biopsy.

The SNRRS employs 130 radiologists crossed the state who measure scans remotely.

It is coordinated from the Golden Jubilee Hospital successful Clydebank to supply faster diagnosis and entree to attraction for patients.

A spokesperson for the work said it had carried retired astir 136,000 reports for patients successful Scotland successful the past 12 months.

They said it regularly reviews its aesculapian imaging reports "to an elevated and stringent standard".

"As portion of this regular check, they person identified concerns with the prime of CT study assessments by a azygous advisor radiologist who nary longer works with the SNRRS," they added.

Immediate enactment was taken and a "comprehensive review" was conducted.

"This reappraisal included each cases undertaken by this individual, with the objection of immoderate cases successful which the assemblage portion had already received a travel up introspection by an autarkic advisor radiologist," they added.

"All findings person been shared with applicable NHS Boards. Out of implicit 1,000 images reviewed, a tiny fig of patients were identified arsenic having been perchance impacted.

"Local NHS Boards are proactively reaching retired to these individuals to sermon adjacent steps wherever indispensable and appropriate."

It is not uncommon for radiologists to person a tenable quality of sentiment successful interpreting scans.

Scientific lit suggests these discrepancies successful radiology reporting hap astatine rates of betwixt 3 and 30%.

A spokesperson for the SNRRS said: "SNRRS remains steadfast successful its committedness to prime and information successful diligent care, and volition proceed to uphold the highest standards successful radiology done their audits.

"They volition present enactment intimately with each applicable boards to guarantee transparency and enactment for immoderate affected patients."