Mammogram review finds 8 more patients who may have been given wrong results

Health officials say a review of mammograms across much of the province has found eight more patients who may have been given the wrong results. 

A press release sent Thursday afternoon by Eastern Health media relations manager Tracey Boland said there are now 38 patients who need further review of their mammogram results across three health authorities — Eastern Health, Western Health, and Labrador-Grenfell Health.

That number was 30 two weeks before, when the three health authorities last updated the review. 

Boland's release did not include information on the review in the Central Health region, the area where officials first discovered some results were being read on workstations with three-megapixel monitors — which can be used to read X-rays and CT scans — instead of five-megapixel monitors, which are the current industry standard for reading mammograms. 

The release said the three health authorities have reviewed the results of a combined total of 10,883 patients. 

"The regional health authorities have sent letters to those patients whose images are subject to the review and are in the process of following up on those with either expired MCP or invalid addresses," read Thursday's release. "With the full review now nearly complete, the vast majority of patients whose examination report did not change have received a second letter or will receive one in the coming days."

For patients whose results may have been wrong, the health authorities will contact the patients' primary health-care provider, contact the patient by phone, and send them a follow-up letter. 

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.