Central Health says the files of about 3,000 patients are being reviewed after it was discovered that some of their viewing stations do not meet technical standards.

According to President and CEO Andree Robichaud, Central Health was first made aware of the issue last Wednesday.

She says the error involves the use of three-megapixel viewing stations, instead of five-megapixel viewing stations.

The difference between the two, she says is that the five-megapixel machines can better see things that the regular human eye cannot.

The files that are being reviewed are from November 1, 2019 to August 1, 2022.

To date, 468 files have been reviewed with three discrepancies or differing opinions found.

Dr. Angela Pickles, Clinical Chief of Medical Imaging at Eastern Health is conducting the review.

She explains that they can only go back as far as November 1, 2019 because prior to that they cannot make the link between which type of machine was used.

However, she states that patients from before that date would likely have already been re-tested by now.

She says most women receive mammograms every one to two years, so there is a “high probability” that women tested prior to November 1, 2019 would already have been tested again.

Robichaud says they are in the process of sending letters to all patients whose results are the subject of the review, and all those whose results don’t show any discrepancies will be notified in the form of another letter by the end of September to confirm that.

Those whose results do have discrepancies or differing opinions will have their primary healthcare provider contacted, and they will be contacted by phone and by letter.

Those without a family doctor will have one assigned to them to guide them through the process.

Robichaud says Central Health has set up a toll-free number for people to reach out if they have any questions. That number is 1-833-960-4571.