Patient Files FIR Against 2 Silchar Doctors for Alleged Misdiagnosis, Radiologist Denies Allegations

A shocking case of alleged medical malpractice has emerged as a patient and her family filed an FIR against Silchar Health Care, a diagnostic centre in Silchar and two doctors claiming a misdiagnosis that could have led to unnecessary gallbladder surgery. The patient, Rejia Begum Choudhury, sought medical attention for a stomach ache, which set off a troubling chain of events involving conflicting diagnostic reports and emotional distress.

On October 2, 2024, Choudhury visited Dr. Polok Das (MD) at Silchar Health Care, where the doctor suggested an ultrasound of her abdomen to investigate her symptoms. Following his advice, she underwent the ultrasound at Silchar Health Care, conducted by radiologist Dr. Nobonita Paul. The ultrasound report indicated, “A solitary calculus of size 13.7mm is noted in GB lumen,” prompting Dr. Das to recommend immediate surgery.

The family, alarmed by this diagnosis, expressed panic over the necessity of such a drastic procedure, especially considering Choudhury’s ongoing treatment for cancer. “Scared, the patient became panicky,” stated the family, reflecting on their anxiety over the suggested surgery. After discussions among family members, they opted to seek a second opinion, believing it was prudent to get a more accurate assessment before proceeding.

The family travelled to Apollo Hospital in Chennai, where doctors performed a CT scan and additional blood tests. To their disbelief, the results contradicted the Silchar diagnosis entirely. “The doctors there saw the test results we did in Silchar and were shocked,” Choudhury’s daughter remarked. “They even started to laugh at it. How did the doctors here manage to show a non-existent gallstone? Nothing would have happened even if the gallbladder had been removed, but where would they bring the stone from and, more importantly, why would they perform a fake diagnostic?”

The family’s distress deepened as they reflected on the implications of such a misdiagnosis. “We had the capabilities to manage and go to Chennai impulsively, but not everyone can,” they lamented. “Think of the hundreds of patients who might have spent thousands, if not lakhs, under the pretext of such a diagnosis. Think about their trauma. What we went through, no one should have to endure. That is why we filed an FIR at the Sadar Police Station against those involved in the scan and diagnostic report.”

The FIR details the emotional and financial toll the situation has taken on the family, noting, “Upon receipt of the said report, we were shocked and have suffered mental agony and trauma for which we somehow managed to incur more than one lakh rupees for her immediate surgery at Chennai Apollo Hospital.” The complaint emphasizes that had the surgery been conducted based on the initial report, it could have posed a serious risk to Choudhury’s life.

In response to the allegations, Dr Nobonita Paul defended the ultrasound results, stating, “The report by us was of ultrasound sonography, and we still have the images of the scan on our ultrasound machine. We detected the stone in her gallbladder to be 13.7mm. But the scan they did outside (Chennai) was a CT scan of the abdomen. Ultrasound and sonography are two completely different modalities. One can’t be compared to another. Sometimes what can be detected in a CT scan can’t be detected in sonography and vice-versa.”

Dr. Paul further explained the nuances of diagnostic imaging, stating, “To detect a gallbladder stone, ultrasound or MRCP—MRI—is required. They didn’t do an ultrasound in Chennai, and hence the CT scan showed no CT dense calculus. If a stone is densely calcified, there is only a 2 to 3% chance of it appearing in a CT scan report; otherwise, it goes undetected.”