Cedars-Sinai finds more patients exposed to excess radiation

Nicole Santa Cruz

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center officials said Monday that 260 patients had been exposed to high doses of radiation during CT brain scans during an 18-month period, up from the hospital's original estimate of 206 in September.

A review by the hospital also found that about 20% of the patients received exposure directly to the lenses of their eyes, which puts them at a higher risk for cataracts, said Simi Singer, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles hospital.

Of the newly identified cases, 47 patients had died by the time the hospital began contacting victims -- a reflection, officials said, of their serious illnesses, not the radiation exposure. Seven more patients were identified as a result of the ongoing investigation.

Hospital officials said the lens exposure problem was discovered after a review of patients' scans.

source: LA Times