The Food and Drug Administration on Monday alerted patients who had breast cancer screenings at a privately owned mammography clinic in Richmond, Va., that there may be problems with test quality.
Patients of Allison Breast Center and their family members complained to the agency that Dr. Michael Bigg, a radiologist and the clinic's owner, incorrectly interpreted mammography screenings for years and caused delays in breast cancer diagnoses. The Virginia Board of Medicine suspended Bigg's medical license in May and the clinic is now closed, according to the website.
The FDA is recommending patients who haven't had a recent mammogram at another screening center ask for copies of their medical reports from Allison Breast Center and have the mammograms reviewed at another facility abiding by the Mammography Quality Standards Act to determine if another mammogram is needed or any follow-up care.
Bigg's wife and CEO of the center, Gillian Bigg, wrote in a post to patients that Bigg "is being held up to a much higher standard than mammography is able to sustain." She added that this is her husband's "first incidence of anything like this. This was a huge shock to both myself and my husband and am sure to all of you. As you can imagine, this has been difficult for all of us here at Allison Breast Center, and we ask you for your grace and patience."
Bigg graduated from medical school in 1975, and began his training in diagnostic radiology in 1977, according to the clinic's website.
