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For the second time in two years, the Quebec College of Physicians is investigating a radiologist after suspicions were raised of inaccurate readings of breast mammography exams.

The College has ordered that a total of 15,000 X-ray films that had been read by the radiologist in the past two years at two Montreal clinics and one in Laval be re-examined. That process should take up to six months.

The professional order is worried that the radiologist might have misread some mammography exams and told patients that they were fine when, in fact, they should have been undergone additional tests. In radiology, this is known as a false negative, and raises fears that some women with breast cancer may have gone untreated and don’t even known that they have the disease.

By Dec. 20, the College hopes to inform all the patients whose exams were read by the radiologist in question. If the review finds evidence of false negatives, patients will be contacted immediately and follow-ups arranged.

“I want to express my sympathy with all the patients who are being affected by this review,” Dr. Charles Bernard, the newly-elected president of the College, told reporters.

“We want to make sure that all the patients concerned will receive the best medical care related to their condition.”

Pending the outcome of the investigation, the College has barred the radiologist from reading X-rays and other scans. The radiologist, whose name was not disclosed, read the exams at Radiologie Fabreville in Laval, Radiologie Jean-Talon Bélanger in Villeray and Radiologie Domus Médica across from Santa Cabrini Hospital in Rosemont-Petite Patrie.

Most of the patients who have gone to these clinics live in Montreal and Laval, but some came from as far away at the Laurentians and Lanaudière.

About 85 per cent of the films under review are mammography exams, and the balance are computerized tomography (CT) scans that involved both men and women.

Dr. Yves Robert, secretary of the College, said that suspicions were aroused about the radiologist because his referral or anomaly rate was lower than the standard 15 per cent for mammography exams. However, Robert could not say by how much it was lower.

In Quebec, women age 50 to 69 are encouraged to undergo a mammography exam every two years. Out of every 100 women who undergo such exams, 15 are referred for further tests.

Robert said the radiologist in question “seemed to miss things that he should have seen,” like tumours on X-rays.

Robert noted that two years ago, the College ordered the review of a South Shore radiologist after similar suspicions were raised. Fortunately, he said, the year-long investigation proved that the accuracy of that radiologist’s diagnoses was in line with provincial norms.

Despite the investigations of two radiologists, Robert defended the quality of radiology in the province.

“Radiology is very good in Quebec,” he said. “The quality is very high and is comparable to every other jurisdiction in Canada. But from time to time, one individual (radiologist) might be an outlier. So it looks like that is the case right now, and we want to verify that before going further.”

Source: The Montreal Gazette

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