Seven patients whose scans were missed or misread and whose cancer diagnoses were delayed at University Hospital Kerry have now died, according to an Irish Times news report posted on 14 May.
Eleven patients whose scans were read by a locum radiologist had a delayed cancer diagnosis and serious impact on their health, a review of more than 46,000 tests at the Tralee hospital found last December, noted the Irish Times. At that stage, four of the patients were already deceased, but since then a further three patients have died, senior managers said at a meeting in the hospital on 13 May.
The errors were spotted in the summer of 2017 in the case of three patients whose cancers had been missed, and a review of more than 46,000 CT scans, ultrasound scans, and chest x-rays involving 26,000 patients between March 2016 and July 2017 began late that year, the report continued.
The locum consultant radiologist was placed on administrative leave in late July 2017 and resigned in October that year.
