Staff at the Näl hospital in Trollhättan, near Gothenburg, became puzzled when they noticed that a number of patients appeared in x-rays to have problems in exactly the same part of their lungs.
The x-ray camera was examined, but turned out to be in good order. Staff then turned their attention to the mattress that patients lie on. Here they found the culprit – a one krona coin, which had got stuck between the mattress and the frame. This coin had shown up on the x-rays, appearing to indicate worrying developments for patients.
The hospital says it has introduced new routines, and the mattress is now regularly searched for objects that could distort x-rays, Swedish Radio reported.
TT/The Local