THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) is considering whether to review thousands of X-rays reported on by a locum consultant who worked at a number of hospitals in the northeast.
It is understood a meeting has taken place to consider the issue after it emerged that one or two lung cancers may have been missed by the doctor.
It is understood the doctor worked for a period at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.
The HSE is now considering whether to order a review of all chest and other X-rays reported on by the consultant while working in the region or if the number of cases over which there are doubts are too few to require such action.
Asked to comment yesterday, a HSE spokeswoman said: "There is no review under way at the moment.
Asked if one was being considered, she said she could not comment on the future but indicated a statement may be issued today.
It is not clear at this stage if the patients whose lung cancer diagnosis may have been delayed have been informed of the possible delay in their diagnosis.
The HSE is understood to be giving serious thought to the issue of a review because of what happened at Portlaoise General Hospital late last year after concerns were expressed that a consultant radiologist was over-reporting breast cancer cases on the basis of her reading of mammograms.
When a review of over 3,000 mammograms was conducted it emerged there had been under-reporting of breast cancer cases and nine women had wrongly been given the all-clear. It also emerged that three radiologists had under-reported cases.
However, Dr Ann O'Doherty, who conducted the review, blamed the equipment at the hospital, as well as other factors, for these failures. She found the quality of the mammograms was patchy, mostly for technical reasons but also that many of the reports issued on mammography and breast ultrasound at the hospital "lacked clarity, specificity and helpful conclusions that could have directed clinical management".
Meanwhile, it is expected that the report into breast cancer care at Barringtons private hospital in Limerick will be published later this week. A review of breast cancer care at the hospital was ordered after concerns were raised with the Health Information and Quality Authority last year about the care given to a number of breast cancer patients who attended the hospital.