Health authorities find 12 more patients with potentially incorrect mammogram results

Eastern Health, Western Health and Labrador-Grenfell Health have found another 12 patients whose mammogram results may be incorrect, according to a news release issued by the health authorities on Thursday.

The health authorities have now found 30 patients, in total, whose mammogram results require further review. According to the news release, the review of mammogram results belonging to 10,883 patients in the three regions is now 81 per cent complete.

"The percentage of patients requiring follow-up remains stable at 0.3 per cent," said the health authorities.

According to the release, patients whose results require further review will be contacted via phone and letter. The health authorities will also contact patients' doctors. All patients whose results are under review will receive letters regarding the review itself, and follow-up letters stating when the review is complete. The health authorities say all patients will be contacted by the end of October.

All four regional health authorities in Newfoundland and Labrador are reviewing mammography results after Central Health discovered some results were being read on work stations that had three-megapixel monitors, rather than five-megapixel monitors. While three-megapixel monitors can be used to read X-rays and CT scans, five-megapixel monitors are the current technical standard for reading mammograms.

On Sept. 6, Central Health said it had reviewed results belonging to 2,564 patients and had found nine patients with potentially incorrect results. At that time, the health authority said it had 523 results left to review.

Mammograms in Newfoundland and Labrador are proceeding as scheduled, and the health authorities say results will be read on the correct equipment.

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