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27 January 2011
Last updated at 10:23 ET
By Marie-Louise Connolly
BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent
More than 18,500 X rays carried out within the Western Health Trust's area were not followed up due to a shortage of radiologists, the BBC has learned.
As a result there was a delay in diagnosing four people who were later found to have cancer.
The massive backlog in X ray cases emerged last July when it came to light that important reports had not been completed by clinicians.
A spokesperson for the Western trust said the X rays "were never lost".
The spokesperson agreed, however, that important written assessments on the cases had not been carried out due to a lack of staff and equipment being available.
A clinician within the hospital told the BBC that when the problem first emerged last summer there was a lot of confusion over where notes were held and the fact that some did not even exist.
While doctors had visually examined over half of the cases, around 8,000 X rays did not receive that expert opinion.
As a result four people received a late diagnosis of cancer.
A Western Health Trust spokesperson said no further details could be given surrounding those cases.
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As a result there was a delay in diagnosing four people who were later found to have cancer.
The massive backlog in X ray cases emerged last July when it came to light that important reports had not been completed by clinicians.
A spokesperson for the Western trust said the X rays "were never lost".
The spokesperson agreed, however, that important written assessments on the cases had not been carried out due to a lack of staff and equipment being available.
A clinician within the hospital told the BBC that when the problem first emerged last summer there was a lot of confusion over where notes were held and the fact that some did not even exist.
While doctors had visually examined over half of the cases, around 8,000 X rays did not receive that expert opinion.
As a result four people received a late diagnosis of cancer.
A Western Health Trust spokesperson said no further details could be given surrounding those cases.
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