Another woman has come forth alleging radiologist Michael Bigg and the Allison Breast Cancer Center misread her mammograms. She recently filed a lawsuit against the pair, claiming the mistake delayed her diagnosis and treatment, according to a story published Monday.
Ruby Shakelford is the fourth woman to file such a suit, according to Richmond 6 News. The complaint notes that Shakelford underwent a left mastectomy in July 2008 for pre-invasive breast cancer. But after going to Bigg for yearly follow-up mammograms, in December 2017 she became worried about a lump in her breast.
Bigg—the doctor and owner of Allison, whose medical license is currently suspended—assured her the lump was likely benign. After additional visits, he ultimately referred Shakelford to a surgeon in June 2019. That provider diagnosed her with stage 2 breast cancer. Shakelford’s lawsuit claims that her disease was only stage 1 in March 2017.
The Virginia Board of Medicine suspended Michael Bigg’s medical license in May, putting out a lengthy report that determined he wrongly interpreted 18 mammograms.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently pulled Allison Breast Cancer Center’s mammography certification after a review revealed quality issues in its exams. Bigg’s wife, Gillian Bigg, penned a lengthy note on Sept. 28 regarding the Virginia breast center’s closure.
Read more from Richmond 6 News below.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.