The United States Food and Drug Administration recently determined that CT perfusion scans performed at Huntsville Hospital provided patients with approximately eight (8) times the recommended level of radiation. So far, the FDA has identified over 250 patients who have been exposed to excess radiation. CT perfusion scans are used to check for blockages and injuries to the brain. Patients who have recently undergone treatment following a stroke or head injury are likely to have received a CT perfusion scan.

A CT perfusion scan, which shows blood flow in the brain in real time, is a relatively new test now being conducted on stroke patients to speed evaluation and treatment.

As expected, all potentially responsible parties have denied any wrongdoing. The manufacturer of the scanner and the Huntsville Hospital staff have engaged in a finger pointing contest, with each party blaming the other party for these damages. G.E. Healthcare claims that the overdoses are the result of decisions made by the Huntsville Hospital medical staff. G.E.'s spokesman, Arvind Gopalratnam stated, "As with all CT perfusion scans, the radiation dose delivered was a decision made by healthcare providers during the treatment of stroke patients." There is strong speculation that the manufacturer of the perfusion scanners, G.E. Healthcare, carelessly researched the design of the scanners, failed to adequately test the scanners, and/or that the scanners lacked safety features to warn of overdoses. There has been some indication that there was a problem with the programming of the scanners. The fact that no party is willing to admit responsibility for these damages is not surprising. Corporations consistently deny liability and force individuals to file lawsuits before they even consider settling cases. Ultimately, the judicial process will be crucial in determining which party is responsible for the harm done by these CT scanners.

Some signs of overexposure to radiation from these scanners include sudden lack of balance, migraines, memory loss, redness of skin, vomiting, diarrhea, migraines and hair loss. According to some sources, a radiation overdose may also cause changes in brain function. A radiation overdose can also cause radiation necrosis, which is the death of healthy tissue in the affected area.

Since the FDA release, Huntsville Hospital has continued to review this matter and has stated that it plans to follow the recently announced FDA recommendations to minimize radiation dosage levels and any side effects. Huntsville Hospital has issued a statement saying, "We take all matters involving our patients as serious." Huntsville Hospital spokesman, Burr Ingram, stated that the hospital is still working to contact any patients who may have received a higher dose. At least one patient received a written notice from Huntsville Hospital which read: "We have identified a few patients, including you, who have received a scan in which the dosage level was elevated." If patient doses are higher than the expected level, but not high enough to produce obvious signs of radiation injury, the problem may go undetected and unreported. Without proper detection and treatment, a patient is at an increased risk for long-term radiation effects, which include cataracts. The FDA is continuing to investigate the scope and causes of these excess exposures and their potential public health impact. The danger with overexposure to radiation is that the long-term effects of this overexposure are ultimately hard to predict. Many predict that exposure to excess radiation places a patient at a higher risk of cancer.

With any lawsuit, there is a limited time in which you must file a lawsuit in order to protect your rights. If you believe a CT perfusion scan was performed on you at Huntsville Hospital, please contact our firm today.