U.S.

Massachusetts radiology lab loses medical records of about 9,400 patients

January 10, 2018 / 11:34 AM EST / AP

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- A Massachusetts radiology lab says it has lost a portable hard drive that may contain the personal information and X-ray images of almost 9,400 patients. Charles River Medical Associates, based in Framingham, mailed letters this week to patients whose records are missing.

The hard drive stored names, dates of birth, patient identification numbers and bone density scan images dating to 2010. It did not have insurance information or Social Security numbers.

The practice's executive director, Brian Parillo, tells The MetroWest Daily News "there are no leads on" the hard drive's location.

Medical ID theft can turn lives upside down

Staff noticed the hard drive was missing in late November.

The device, which has no encryption protections, was updated once a month and employees last remember seeing it in late October.

The lab informed patients after an exhaustive search.