Portable Chest Radiography Through Glass During COVID-19 Pandemic—Initial Experience in a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Background: Portable chest radiograph for COVID-19 positive patients and persons under investigation can be acquired through glass doors or walls of isolation rooms to limit exposure to the pathogen and conserve resources. Purpose: To report our initial experience with acquiring portable chest radiographs through glass doors of isolation rooms. Methods: Only 1 of 2 radiology technologist team members donned personal protective equipment and stayed inside the isolation room, while the second technologist and the radiography unit remained outside during the procedure. First hundred radiographs acquired through glass at the emergency department of our institute formed the “through glass radiograph” group. Hundred consecutive portable chest radiographs performed in a conventional manner formed the “conventional radiograph” group for comparison. Imaging database and feedback from operations leader were used to identify occurrences of a failed procedure. Suggestion of repeating the study and comments related to quality of the study were recorded from the reports of the staff radiologist. Results: There was no instance of failed acquisition, nondiagnostic examination, or suggestion of repetition in both groups. No significant difference in the number of reports with quality related remarks ( P > .05) was found between the 2 groups. Radiography through glass doors was associated with increased suboptimal positioning related remarks in radiology reports ( P < .05). No significant association was identified among other comments about image quality. Conclusion: Our initial clinical experience suggests that the acquisition of portable chest radiographs through the glass doors of isolation rooms is technically feasible and results in diagnostic quality studies.

The Efficacy of Chest X-Ray for the Diagnosis and Follow-up in Young Adult COVID-19 Patients with Mild Dyspnea No Comorbid Diseases

“…To meet this condition in radiology departments, the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommends the use of portable X-ray machines, given the minimized risk of disease spread and the reduction of the patient load of CT units [22]. Portable CXR should be preferred as the initial imaging method due to the advantage of less ionizing radiation when compared to CT, the ease of equipment sterilization, and the ease of transfer to the polyclinics and wards, reducing the need for patient transfers to the radiology department [23,24]. CXR has the additional advantage of being useful for the diagnosis of other conditions that can mimic COVID-19 pneumonia, such as pulmonary edema, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and lobar pneumonia that is common in winter [25].…”

Usefulness of Hospital Admission Chest X-ray Score for Predicting Mortality and ICU Admission in COVID-19 Patients

“…Studies using CT for reclassification included a disproportionate number of patients who were imaged to assess for clinical worsening or to exclude other reasons for hypoxemia, such as pulmonary embolism. Therefore, CT is not as easily applicable to the prognosis of COVID-19 at the time of admission as chest radiographs, which are widely available, inexpensive, and, in the case of portable chest radiographs, easier to decontaminate [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. Lung ultrasonography has also been documented as a diagnostic modality for COVID-19 pneumonia, with at least one study showing that lung ultrasonography is more specific and sensitive than chest radiographs [ 41 ].…”

Is a Camera-Type Portable X-Ray Device Clinically Feasible in Chest Imaging?: Image Quality Comparison with Chest Radiographs Taken with Traditional Mobile Digital X-Ray Devices

“…To meet this demand for chest radiographs in mobile settings, traditional mobile X-ray and camera-type devices are increasingly used. It has been established that chest radiographs obtained using traditional mobile X-ray devices have appropriate image quality for diagnostic purposes ( 2 3 ). However, camera-type X-ray devices have been used without proper verification ( 4 ).…”