The consequences of COVID-19 pandemic in the routine of Nuclear Medicine Departments

Hell J Nucl Med. 2020 May-Aug:23 Suppl:15-20.

Abstract

The outbreak and spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected billions of people around the world, severely disrupting many aspects of their lives. Although not at the frontline of the pandemic response, Nuclear Medicine departments have to adopt their clinical routine to the new environment. A series of protective measures, including among others spatial arrangements to promote social distancing, meticulous hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment, workload reduction, patient screening at admission and examination protocol adjustments, have to be adopted in order to minimize the risk of spreading the infection and ensure the safety of both their patients and staff. As the pandemic seems to slowly recede, the valuable experience gained should help everyone be much better prepared for a possible new outbreak.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19
  • Capacity Building
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Facilities and Services Utilization / standards
  • Facilities and Services Utilization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods*
  • Infection Control / standards
  • Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital / organization & administration*
  • Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital / standards
  • Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital / supply & distribution
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic