Response of a Radiology Department to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: The Experience of the Hospital “Policlinico Tor Vergata” in Rome

Abstract

The dissemination of severe acute respiratory syndrome linked to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, prompted all health services to provide adequate measures to limit new cases that could affect healthcare professionals. Due to the large number of suspected patients subjected to CT scans and the proximity of radiologists to the patient during exams, radiologists as well as the entire staff of the radiology department are particularly exposed to SARS-CoV-2. This article includes the emergency management procedures, the use of personal protective devices, and the rearrangement of exam rooms and of human resources in the department of radiology at “Policlinico Tor Vergata” in Rome performed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We introduce the management measures that our department has taken to cope with the influx of patients while still ensuring the proper management of other emergencies and time-sensitive exams.

A Policy Examination of Covid-19 Impact on the Radiology Department Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): The Malaysian Experience

“…Disinfectant sprays would also be used sparingly since they can corrode metals and penetrate surfaces, causing short-circuits or other damage. To avoid the disinfectant to corrode the surface of the x-ray machine, the equipment must be turned off first, left to cool, and then covered with a plastic sheet before deep cleaning could commence [34]. If there is plastic equipment, it should only be disinfected with a soap solution.…”