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Case 4

A 60 years old female patient in the female medical ward needed to have a supine CXR, left lateral CXR, and left decubitus CXR. For both the supine and lateral CXR, a vertical tube could be used, and for the decubitus CXR, cross table technique was used. David Lui, the radiographer, carried out the examinations one by one, with a young female patient lying in the next bed to his patient. One week later, the young female patient was released from the hospital. Soon after leaving hospital she found out that she was 8 weeks pregnant. The doctor asked if she had undergone any X-ray examinations within the last 2 months, and she said no, but she told the doctor that a few patients underwent X-ray examinations in the ward where she had been staying. The doctor told her that X-rays were a potential hazard to the fetus, especially for those early developing fetuses, and there was a possibility that her baby may have malformations or growth retardation. This young female was now in a dilemma, she wants her baby, but she is worried that there may be a possibility that her baby will be born with abnormalities. She wants to make a complaint against the hospital or the radiographer.

What are the ethical and legal implications in this case?