Caboolture Hospital is at the centre of a major review into thousands of medical scans that were allegedly not properly checked, after a patient’s diagnosis was missed and later led to their death.
The review began after a patient with advanced cancer died when their imaging results went reportedly unchecked for five weeks. Metro North Health confirmed that clinicians had to re-examine 21,491 scans from the hospital’s specialist outpatient clinic, and that 38 patients were contacted for follow-up care as a result.
“Earlier this month, Caboolture Hospital identified inconsistencies in how medical imaging results were distributed in our Specialist Outpatient Department, meaning there are approximately 9,000 patients without confirmation their results were reviewed or followed up,” Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook, Chief Medical Officer, Metro North Health, said in a statement.
“This includes surgical, cardiac, respiratory and paediatric patients who were referred to the Specialist Outpatient Department and underwent imaging since 1 April 2023 to 4 September 2025.”
“We’ve taken immediate steps and introduced new robust processes to ensure imaging results are consistently shared with treating specialists going forward. We believe most of these records were reviewed and actioned. However, to be certain, we have commenced a review related to these patients to ensure they receive appropriate follow-up care.”
Background of the review
The health service stated that the problem stemmed from a shift in imaging processes in April 2023, which caused inconsistent distribution of hard-copy results even though digital files remained available. According to them, doctors not consistently receiving paper copies of imaging results, which meant some findings were not checked in the usual way.
This procedural change is a central issue in the investigation. More than 21,000 scans were examined, with around 14,000 categorised as high priority.
Metro North Health stated that all affected patients had been contacted and that no further deaths had been linked to the missed imaging reviews.
Hospital response and broader system considerations
Metro North Health also said that clearer procedures for handling imaging results have now been introduced, with strengthened steps to ensure results are consistently shared with specialists.
Any patients with ongoing concerns may seek their medical records and consult clinicians for further assessment.
Queensland health authorities began looking more widely at imaging practices across the state following the Caboolture review. Officials have stressed that hospital processes have been tightened, and the health service has acknowledged the need to restore confidence through better communication and reliable follow-up care.
Published 14-Nov-2025
Feature Image Credit: Metro North Health
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