Operational Strategies to Prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Spread in Radiology: Experience From a Singapore Radiology Department After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

J Am Coll Radiol. 2020 Jun;17(6):717-723. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.03.027. Epub 2020 Apr 3.

Abstract

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection spreads globally, the demand for chest imaging will inevitably rise with an accompanying increase in risk of disease transmission to frontline radiology staff. Radiology departments should implement strict infection control measures and robust operational plans to minimize disease transmission and mitigate potential impact of possible staff infection. In this article, the authors share several operational guidelines and strategies implemented in our practice to reduce spread of COVID-19 and maintain clinical and educational needs of a teaching hospital.

Keywords: COVID-19; operational strategies; radiology.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19
  • Communicable Disease Control / organization & administration*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
  • Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / organization & administration*
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / prevention & control*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Occupational Health
  • Organizational Innovation
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Pandemics / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Radiology Department, Hospital / organization & administration*
  • Singapore
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods