Hospitals Admit that Patients Have Received Elevated Levels of Radiation From CT Scans

According to a spokesman from a Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama, some patients received excessive radiation doses, as reported in the NY Times. And the number of patients across the nation is already known to the in the 100's but is suspected to be in the 1000's.

It is likely to be a nation wide problem. This is a widespread problem involving many states and many hospitals.

The NY Times reported that "A health official in California who played a leading role in uncovering the cases predicts that many more will be found as states intensify their search."

According said Kathleen Kaufman, head of radiation management for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, “I cannot believe that this is not occurring in the rest of the country. That’s why we are so keen on the rest of the states to go look at this.”

FDA Oversight

The FDA admits that the data so far is only a portion of the number of cases that will be found. Past experience shows that the FDA only learns of a little as 1% of the actual number of cases for any adverse event reported to the FDA. The initial FDA investigation involved the following hospitals:

• Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center
• Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
• South Lake Hospital in central Florida
• Another location in San Francisco, yet to be specifically named by the FDA

CT Scans are High Dose Radiation Devices
A CT brain perfusion scan delivers a high does of radiation that is equal to more than 100 x-rays. In fact it may be closer to 200 x-rays. And if the machinery is not used properly or calibrated correctly, the dose can reach 2000 times that of an x-ray.

User Error?
GE spokesman, Arvind Gopalratnam, has suggested that this is the users fault. According to Gopalratnam, the scan radiation is “determined by the user and not the manufacturer.” But others are saying that the setting were those suggested by the manufacturer.

GE's CT scanners offer a feature to automatically adjust the dose according to a patient’s size and body part. GE claims that this “significantly reduces radiation dose.” However, According to the technicians at Cedars-Sinai and Glendale Adventist this feature did not reduce the dose. In fact, they determined that it raised the dose. Thus, some of these patients received as much as eight times more radiation than was needed.

GE has in turn claimed that the hospitals did not know how to safely use the feature. GE is putting the blame on the technicians for failing to notice to dosage levels on their screens. It appears that GE did not provide training to these technicians in the proper use of the technology.

Is the Radiation Problem Only with GE Healthcare CT Scans?

Probably not. While most cases so far involve GE Healthcare, it is known that Toshiba scanners were used at Los Angeles County-U.S.C. and South Lake in Florida.

Did You Suffer a CT Scan Radiation Overdose? Contact Our Lawyers Today.
Did you or a family member suffer serious injuries, hair loss, headaches, memoryloss, confusion after a CT Scan? If the answer is yes, take action now and contact Anapol Schwartz personal injury law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia.

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