Hundreds of Patients Reporting Radiation Overdose from Brain CT Scans

Over 300 patients have reported radiation overdose after they underwent brain perfusion CT scans in California and Alabama hospitals. The reports have led to a nationwide FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) investigation into whether scanners manufactured by GE Healthcare and Toshiba may be defective.

GE & Toshiba Perfusion CT Scan Devices

Perfusion CT scan devices manufactured by GE Healthcare and Toshiba are being investigated by the FDA after 300 patients reported radiation overdose. Experts say that some patients may have received thousands of times the amount of radiation that someone would be exposed to from a traditional x-ray – the side effects from which can significantly increase their risk of cancer.

Radiation Overdose Side Effects & Symptoms

The stochastic, or random, side effects from radiation overdose can be severe and increase the probability of contracting diseases such as cancers, tumors and suffering genetic damage. Radiation overdose symptoms may include tissue destruction, nausea, weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and more. While the current FDA investigation involves the use perfusion brain CT scans – of which it estimates 150,000 patients undergo every year, the issue has some questioning whether regular CT scans – which are used much more frequently – may also provide too much radiation.

Study Shows How Radiation Affects Cancer Rates

Recent studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that one in every 250 patients who undergo CT scans of the pelvis or abdomen will “likely get cancer” from those scans and that patients receiving even higher doses of radiation are at a significantly greater risk. The studies also found that:

• One out of every 270 40-year old women who underwent a coronary artery CT scan would develop cancer as a result of the test.
• Of the 72 million CT scans done in 2007, approximately 29,000 patients would develop supplementary cancers.
• Radiation damage can cause cancer even decades after a CT scan has been done.

What to do if you've been injured Patients who believe they may have been injured by a perfusion or regular CT scan should consult with their doctors about their symptoms and also consider contacting an an experienced radiation overdose lawyer to discuss and evaluate their situation as they may be entitled to compensation for their injuries.

The foregoing article has been prepared by an attorney who is a regular contributor to FreeAdvice, and is now undergoing review by the site's editorial staff.