Clinicians from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, China, published a paper in the American Journal of Roentgenology detailing the infection control measures taken for the CT equipment and the radiographers’ personal protection during the COVID-19 outbreak in China.
“We describe modifications to the CT examination process, strict disinfection of examination rooms, arrangement of waiting areas, and efforts to increase radiographers’ awareness of personal protection made at our institution during the COVID-19 outbreak,” the authors write. “In addition, we discuss the potential of using artificial intelligence in imaging patients with contagious diseases.”
Measures included the use of an air disinfector and a movable ultraviolet light in the exam room, adherence to an appointment arrival schedule to minimize clustering of patients with fevers in the waiting area, biohazard training for radiographers, the use of uVision artificial intelligence to aid patient positioning, to minimize contact between the radiographers and the patients.
“CT plays an important role in diagnosis, isolation, treatment, and effective evaluation of COVID-19, but infection prevention and management of CT examination rooms should be emphasized,” the authors write. “In addition, radiographers’ awareness of infection control and personal protection needs to be strengthened. Finally, with continuous improvement and development, artificial intelligence technology offers promising solutions for imaging of patients with contagious diseases.”
Find the study in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
