Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Radiology's response to the COVID-19 outbreak continues, and our editors have been busy bringing you all the latest news on the pandemic as it pertains to medical imaging.
Early reports from China highlighted the role of CT in diagnosing cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease. Some studies even suggested that CT could be more effective than lab testing with diagnostic agents.
But with experience, radiology practices are realizing CT's limitations. A major shortcoming is the requirement to disinfect equipment and CT rooms after scanning patients suspected of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This requires departments to take proactive measures to be prepared for an influx of patients with COVID-19.
On the other hand, modalities like mobile x-ray can be taken to the patient's bedside, eliminating complications involved in transporting infected individuals to the radiology department. But radiography does have limitations of its own for COVID-19 that imaging specialists should be aware of.
Visit our Digital X-Ray Community for more stories like this about how x-ray is being used during the pandemic.
NYU radiologists step up
New York City has been the hardest-hit metropolitan area in the U.S. Hospitals have been bursting at the seams with patients, but ironically radiology departments have not been as busy due to the cancellation of many nonemergency scans.
So what can radiology personnel do to help? AuntMinnie.com Associate Editor Theresa Pablos has contributed a fascinating profile of New York University (NYU) Langone Health's radiology department and a program it launched to put radiologists to work serving as liaisons between busy clinicians and the families of patients in the hospital. It's a great example of how radiologists can step up and put their people skills to work.
Other important stories on the COVID-19 outbreak include one on the impact the pandemic has had on breast imaging, as well as another on lessons radiologists in Singapore learned from the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that could also be applied to COVID-19. Also, the RSNA this past week released a consensus statement from the Fleischner Society on chest imaging's role in managing patients with COVID-19.
Register for 2020 Virtual Conference
Over 1,300 radiology professionals have registered for our 2020 Virtual Conference, to be held April 30 and May 1. Have you? We've assembled an excellent program of key opinion leaders to discuss some of the most pressing issues in radiology -- including dealing with COVID-19. Check out the program and reserve your space today.
