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

Yonggeng Goh; Wynne Chua; Joseph K T Lee; Bertrand Wei Leng Ang; Chong Ri Liang; Choon Ann Tan; Denise Ai Wen Choong; Hui Xiang Hoon; Michael Kah Leong Ong; Swee Tian Quek

doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2020.03.027

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.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Hospital, Singapore. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Hospital, Singapore.
³ Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Hospital, Singapore; Department of Radiology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
⁴ Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Hospital, Singapore. Electronic address: [email protected].

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