Radiology preparedness in ebola virus disease: guidelines and challenges for disinfection of medical imaging equipment for the protection of staff and patients

Radiology. 2015 May;275(2):538-44. doi: 10.1148/radiol.15142670. Epub 2015 Feb 5.

Abstract

The overlap of early Ebola virus disease (EVD) symptoms (eg, fever, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, emesis, and fatigue) with symptoms of other more common travel-related diseases (eg, malaria, typhoid fever, pneumonia, and meningococcemia) may result in delayed diagnosis of EVD before isolation of infected patients. Radiology departments should consider policies for and approaches to decontamination of expensive and potentially easily damaged radiology equipment. In addition, the protection of radiology personnel must be considered during the work-up phase of undiagnosed EVD patients presenting to emergency departments. The purpose of this article is to consider the effect of EVD on radiology departments and imaging equipment, with particular consideration of guidelines currently available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that may be applicable to radiology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Cross Infection / transmission*
  • Diagnostic Imaging / instrumentation*
  • Disinfection / standards*
  • Equipment Contamination / prevention & control*
  • Health Personnel*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / prevention & control*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Occupational Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Radiography / instrumentation
  • Radiology Department, Hospital / standards*
  • United States