A heart defect which led to the death of a mother could have been identified if she had been given a different hospital scan, an inquest has heard.

Much loved Charlotte Roscoe, 26, died on January 24 at her home in Bradford Road, Farnworth just a day after being discharged from Royal Bolton Hospital, after being admitted with chest pains.

Medics diagnosed her with a viral infection after she was admitted to hospital on January 22, where she spent the night.

Her father found her unresponsive in her bedroom and she was pronounced dead by paramedics. 

On August 1, an inquest into her death was held at Bolton Coroners Court. 

Her mother, Jayne Roscoe, told the hearing that her daughter grew up in Little Hulton before moving to Farnworth at 16-years old. 

She attended St George’s  RC High School in Walkden, studied at Bolton College and achieved a First Class degree at the University of Bolton.

She lived with her parents for most of her life, besides some time in Chorley when she lived with a partner and had a child.

Charlotte’s mother described her as being “quite shy”, an “old fashioned girl” and someone who “liked her privacy”.

She was interested in arts and crafts, computer design modelling, computer games and had a passion for mysteries, even being in the midst of writing a novel with a friend. 

Charlotte suffered with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a disorder which decreases the number of platelets in the blood. 

On January 22, Charlotte complained to her mother about chest pains which "felt like a heart attack". 

Ms Roscoe took her daughter to hospital, where she "had to ask" for an ECG. 

She said: "They said she was a bit young, but I said chest pain needs an ECG." 

She left the hospital to look after Charlotte's child and came back at 7.30am the next day. 

Ms Roscoe said: "I took her to a CT on a chair as she couldn't walk at the time. 

"She was laid on the bed when she was then taken back down to have a VQ scan." 

At around 4pm a registrar told Ms Roscoe her daughter "should be taken home as there was nothing wrong with her", the inquest heard.

Upon arriving back home, an "exhausted" Charlotte went straight to sleep in her room. The next morning, she was still sleeping. 

Coroner Michael Pemberton said: "Her father, Dean, came home at around 3pm. 

"He went upstairs as she had still not arose, and found she had passed away." 

Ms Roscoe told the inquest this "completely stunned" the family and that they have struggled to come to terms with the loss. 

She said Charlotte is "deeply missed" and "was loved by all of the family".

The family have raised concerns about the type of scan utilised, with the CTPA (CT pulmonary angiogram) scan being the "gold standard" and more likely to pick up the hemopericardium, a defect in the heart.

Pathologist Dr Ravindra Sawant gave her cause of death as a hemopericardium, caused by a ruptured aorta, caused by dissection of the aorta, with underlying ITP. 

He said that it was an uncommon issue. 

Consultant Dr Su Myat Sandi assessed Charlotte, suspecting her issues as being caused by a pulmonary embolism (PE). 

She filled out a PE form, which could either lead to a CTPA or VQ (lung ventilation perfusion) scan. 

The radiology department decided a VQ would be more appropriate. 

Dr Patrick Horgan was the medical registrar on call the next day when Charlotte was discharged. 

Mr Pemberton said: "She was discharged at 4pm, but the last set of observations were at 7.11am." 

The doctor said those observations would be made by the nursing team on the ward, and that he "did not look in detail" at them. 

He added: "Given the nature of the symptoms Charlotte was facing, I thought it was a viral infection." 

Dr Rauf Munshi, the Associate Medical Director at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, spoke at the inquest about an After Action Review which was carried out following Charlotte's death. 

It emerged during his evidence that the review was not aware of how there had been no fresh observations for nine hours when she was discharged. 

The coroner asked what the guidance is for observations and how often they should be done. 

Dr Munshi said: "It depends on the early warning score. Charlotte was on one, so unless there is a clinical change then they should be every four hours." 

Mr Pemberton replied: "So two sets of observations had been missed that day." 

On the issue of the CTPA scan versus the VQ scan, he quoted the Royal College of Radiologists guidance, which said that a VQ scan "should be considered the first check with young patients" because of the lower dose of radiation compared to a CTPA. 

It was said that VQ scans are only available on Tuesdays and Fridays at Royal Bolton. 

The coroner said: "Whether you get a VQ is pot luck, it depends on the day." 

Family counsel Stephen McNamara asked Dr Munshi about the decision to go for a VQ as opposed to a CTPA scan. 

He cited a note which requested a "CAPUG" (CT Angiogram pulmonary) for Charlotte, signed off by two people, which is another term for a CTPA, and asked how the decision to take her for a VQ from that initial request came about. 

Dr Munshi could not answer this question. 

He also cited the evidence of radiologist Rabeena Razzaq, who said a CTPA scan "would probably have identified a dissection". 

It emerged during the hearing that there had also been a mortality review, one which had not been submitted to the inquest. 

Mr Pemberton decided to adjourn the inquest until November 19 for more evidence.

He said: "I hope the trust takes heed of my concerns. I am in a position where evidence has not been provided to me and I had requested a radiographer to attend. 

"I received an email yesterday saying we will have to postpone because they are not available. This approach is concerning."

He adjourned for a radiographer to attend, as well as a further statements from practitioners.