The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now investigating the several reported cases of over-radiation at California hospitals because of potentially defective CT scans.
Two California hospitals, Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, are under scrutiny for excessive radiation and unsafe medical scans.
The investigation on other hospitals came right on the heels of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after patients reported lost their hair or experienced skin redness. 260 patients were reported by the hospital to have been exposed to excess radiation.
Glendale Adventist claimed that its radiation problem was related to a specialty scan which has already been discontinued by the hospital. However, the FDA is still trying to determine whether the over radiation was caused by human error or a problem with CT equipment.
Both Cedars and Glendale use scanners from General Electric but the FDA has also received reports over problems with different brands of scanners, including models from Toshiba.
While brain scans were originally used to diagnose strokes, CT scans have become popular because they offer a cheap, quick and painless way for doctors to evaluate trauma, belly pain, seizures, chronic headaches and other ailments.
Medical errors is one of the leading causes of death and injury, around 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year because of medical errors.
Medical treatment, even if it is cheap should have the same quality of care and efficacy as any other treatment. Likewise, the hospital staff owes their patients a duty of care and diligence when running medical tests or other forms of treatment.
If you had the misfortune of being a victim of medical error or malpractice, you have the right to file for damages against the medical facility. If it is also proven that the manufacturer of the medical equipments if to blame for the cause of the injury, such as excessive radiation, a product liability claim may also be instituted against them.
Two California hospitals, Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, are under scrutiny for excessive radiation and unsafe medical scans.
The investigation on other hospitals came right on the heels of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after patients reported lost their hair or experienced skin redness. 260 patients were reported by the hospital to have been exposed to excess radiation.
Glendale Adventist claimed that its radiation problem was related to a specialty scan which has already been discontinued by the hospital. However, the FDA is still trying to determine whether the over radiation was caused by human error or a problem with CT equipment.
Both Cedars and Glendale use scanners from General Electric but the FDA has also received reports over problems with different brands of scanners, including models from Toshiba.
While brain scans were originally used to diagnose strokes, CT scans have become popular because they offer a cheap, quick and painless way for doctors to evaluate trauma, belly pain, seizures, chronic headaches and other ailments.
Medical errors is one of the leading causes of death and injury, around 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year because of medical errors.
Medical treatment, even if it is cheap should have the same quality of care and efficacy as any other treatment. Likewise, the hospital staff owes their patients a duty of care and diligence when running medical tests or other forms of treatment.
If you had the misfortune of being a victim of medical error or malpractice, you have the right to file for damages against the medical facility. If it is also proven that the manufacturer of the medical equipments if to blame for the cause of the injury, such as excessive radiation, a product liability claim may also be instituted against them.
