The devastated family of a woman killed by an allergic reaction to a dye routinely injected into patients before scans has urged doctors to warn patients of the risks of the test.
Leigh Rodgers, 34, from County Durham, suffered fatal anaphylactic shock soon after medics at University Hospital of North Durham administered the dye ahead of a CT scan to investigate a tooth abscess.
Despite attempts to resuscitate the mother of-one, she was pronounced dead 90 minutes later.
Now her grieving mother, Pam Rodgers, 56, has blamed NHS delays for the tragic death.
Leigh Rodgers was forced to seek urgent hospital treatment for her tooth infection as she was unable to get a dentist appointment due to immense waiting lists.
The delay meant the pain had spread to her neck and chest, leading doctors to suspect she may be suffering Ludwig’s angina — a life-threatening bacterial infection which can be caused by a tooth infection.
It was these concerns that triggered the scan, and injection of the dye — called contrast medium — that ultimately killed her.
‘If she could’ve gotten a dental appointment, she wouldn’t be dead,’ said her mother Pam Rodgers, a management consultant from West Auckland.
Leigh Rodgers died within 90 minutes of being injected with a contrast medium dye commonly used to help abnormalities show up on CT scans.
‘Every time I close my eyes I imagine my daughter in the coffin.’
No evidence of Ludwig’s angina showed up on the CT scan results, an inquest heard on February 19, 2025.
Ms Rodgers claimed that the risks of the CT scan — used to take detailed pictures of veins, arteries and internal organs — were not adequately explained to her daughter.
‘I don’t accept that they [hospital staff] were too busy,’ she said. ‘There’s nothing stopping them from handing out a leaflet to explain the risks.
‘I want to make people aware of the risks of contrast medium and issues with the NHS.’
Estimates vary, but about three per cent of patients are thought to respond badly to the dye, suffering mild problems like vomiting and rashes.
Severe life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis, like those Ms Rodgers suffered, are even rarer thought to only occur between one in 2,500 and one in 10,000 patients.
Ms Rodgers claimed that the risks of the CT scan were not adequately explained to her daughter.
Patients are typically asked to wait at the hospital for up to 30 minutes after having a scan before they can go home to monitor them for signs of an allergic reaction.
Previous, similar cases include that of 66 year-old Yvonne Graham, from Northamptonshire, who died of a cardiac arrest hours after a contrast medium injection in February last year.
The former butcher was undergoing a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach.
Ahead of an inquest into her death, an autopsy stated that Mrs Graham’s cause of death was ‘likely’ an extreme allergic reaction to the dye.
At the time, her daughter Yolanda said her mother should never have been given the dye in the first place as she had kidney disease — and it is well-known that the substance can cause damage to the organ in those who are vulnerable.
Last year, Yvonne Graham, 66, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected dye ahead of a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach.
Yolanda said her mother had been well before going into the scan room and had remarked how she was looking forward to upcoming holidays with her family.
A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘We are deeply saddened by Leigh’s death, and our heartfelt condolences go out to her family during this incredibly difficult time.
‘We are fully committed to providing the highest standard of patient care. A thorough investigation into Leigh’s care has been carried out, and the findings have been shared with Leigh’s family.
‘We are ensuring that the lessons learned from this report are embedded across the Trust to improve our services.’
