A retired sales director died from the effects of a tumour on his spine that went undetected for nearly three weeks due to an MRI scan error at Maidstone Hospital.

Clive Budd, of Braeburn Way in West Malling, began to lose feeling in his legs because of the 2cm growth pressing on his spine, and consequently developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – a condition often caused by immobility.

The blood clot moved to his lung, with fatal results, and the 68-year-old tragically passed away in the intensive care unit last April.

A two-day inquest at The Archbishop’s Palace heard the tumour was not picked up on Mr Budd’s admission to the Hermitage Lane hospital a month beforehand, because the MRI scan was only done on a lower part of his spine.

It meant a 20-day delay in his diagnosis, which his family say could have been the difference between life and death.

Consultant Dr Christopher Thom had sent Mr Budd for a full spinal scan, but the radiographer only carried out tests of the lumber area because key details were missing from the handover.

Radiologist Dr Natalie Ryan said junior doctors often requested the wrong scans, but Mr Budd would have been given a full one if she had known a spinal lesion was suspected.

She believed she was looking for a degenerative condition in the lower back.

Dr Thom did not realise the wrong scan had been performed, and when the results came back clear he declared Mr Budd medically fit and began him on a course of physiotherapy.

It was only weeks later, when Mr Budd was sent for a full spinal scan by another doctor, that the tumour was discovered.

Dr Thom admitted there was a “loss of communication” and said he should have reviewed the results of the scan and realised the error.

He said: “Clearly we failed him. I had the opportunity to apologise to him at the time and apologise unreservedly to his family now.”

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, senior coroner for Mid Kent and Medway Patricia Harding said it was unlikely the delayed diagnosis contributed to Mr Budd’s death.