Sunday 20 November 2022 06:05 AM Radiologist fined $750 allowed to keep his license after missing breast cancer ... trends now
A New Hampshire radiologist who missed breast cancer diagnoses in 24 women across the state over a period of three years has been allowed to keep his medical license and pay a $750 fine despite his mistakes ruining people's lives.
In at least one of the cases, Dr. Mark Guilfoyle who practiced as a radiologist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and who worked to provide radiology services at three small, rural hospitals in the state, saw the same woman on three occasions yet failed to notice anything amiss in her mammogram.
The complaints were made several years ago with Guilfoyle's September 2019 settlement with the New Hampshire Board of Medicine only recently coming to light.
Guilfoyles sanctions prevent him from reading mammograms only in the state New Hampshire, although he is still allowed to interpret X-rays and radiological images
Dr. Mark Guilfoyle who practiced as a radiologist at three rural hospital in New Hampshire missed breast cancer diagnoses in 24 cases over a three year period
The Boston Globe carried out its own investigation after a former patient of Guilfoyle's came forward.
Patricia Eddy was told that her mammograms in 2015, 2016, and 2017 administered under Guilfoyle's care were clear from disease but upon closer examination she was told breast cancer was present each and every time - only the radiologist had not spotted it.
Eddy, 66, underwent a double mastectomy after what she claims were the doctor's mistakes. She is livid that he still allowed to practice and that he was able to keep his license.
'Personally, I don't think he should be reading anything. You've got this doctor who was harming innocent patients with his ineptness, and they're doing nothing about it.
Eddy alerted the New Hampshire Board of Medicine in August of 2017 and explained everything she had gone through, demanding to know why Guilfoyle was still practicing medicine.
Patricia Eddy was told that her mammograms in 2015, 2016, and 2017 administered under Guilfoyle's care were clear from disease but upon closer examination she was told breast cancer was present each and every time - only the radiologist had not spotted it
It took a further eight months before she received a reply that informed her the doctor had not received any kind of 'formal disciplinary action' despite her complaint.
It would be a further two years before the board reached its own settlement with Guilfoyle.
One of Guilfoyles superiors, Dr. Rebecca Zuurbier, who was director of breast imaging at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center also became concerned over the doctor's work.
Cheryl Jensen, 76, said Guilfoyle 'ruined the rest of my life' by misreading her mammograms. It saw led to her breast cancer being given time to spread finally being diagnosed in early 2018 after which she had to undergo surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation
It led to a review of every single mammogram and breast ultrasound the radiologist had interpreted consisting of more than 5,500 patient visits.
It was at this time the two dozen women with missed breast cancers were found.
The patients affected were informed and given further testing and treatment if required.
'There were 24 patients with known missed breast cancers,' said Zuurbier.
The American Cancer Society say about one in eight cancers are missed in mammograms with such failed diagnoses a comment cause of malpractice claims against radiologist.
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