A new probe into screening at two hospitals is under way

It will run parallel to a probe headed by Dr Robin Wilson into results over two years at two hospitals.

A team of consultants is reviewing 1,900 cases at Belfast's City Hospital and 5,000 at Antrim Area Hospital.

Health Minister Shaun Woodward has asked a non-departmental body to also examine the issue.

The Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority will carry out the probe into the circumstances surrounding the cases.

It is also to determine whether clinical guidelines for breast screening assessment are in place and being applied and any other governance issues related to the matter.

We have managed to review the vast majority of the assessment cases within a week Dr Robin Wilson

A total of 44 women have so far been recalled for further assessment but the results are not yet available.

Dr Wilson, director of Breast Screening Quality Assurance, East Midlands, said the pace of the investigation was "unprecedented".

"I have been quite impressed by the organisation here in Northern Ireland in that we have managed to review the vast majority of the assessment cases within a week," he said.

He said previous reviews he had been involved with, in Exeter and Epping, had taken up to seven months, while the reassessments took weeks.

Dr Wilson said his completed report will be with the Department of Health before the end of December.

Experts from Dublin and Glasgow will be among those taking part in the probe, which is expected to take 10 days.

But the availability of consultants means the process cannot take place for 10 consecutive days.

The review of symptomatic assessments, where women have been referred by their GPs, is expected to take longer and will be carried out at a rate of 500 a day.

But Dr Wilson said the risk of cases being diagnosed from symptomatic assessments is significantly lower than the risk from screening assessments.

The consultant radiologist said he was aware of a symptomatic review of 8,000 cases, which covered four-year period in Telford, near Manchester.

Of that number about 22 breast cancer cases were identified.