Health Care–Associated Infections and the Radiology Department
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences(2019)
摘要
Health care–associated infections (HCAIs) are a significant concern for both health care workers (HCWs) and patients. They are a major contributing factor of disease in industrialized countries, and are responsible for significant morbidity, mortality, and a direct annual financial loss of $6-7 billion in North America alone. They are an increasingly challenging health issue due to multidrug-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci among others, along with an increasing number of susceptible patients. Over the last three decades, the risk of HCAIs has increased in the radiology department (RD) in part because of an increased number of patients visiting the department and an increase in the utilization of imaging modalities. In this review, we will discuss how patients and staff can be exposed to HCAIs in the RD, including contaminated inanimate surfaces, radiology equipment, and associated medical devices. As the role of medical imaging has extended from primarily diagnosis to include more interventions, the implementation and development of standardized infection minimization protocols and infection control procedures are vital in the RD, particularly in interventional radiology. With globalisation and the rapid movement of people regionally, nationally, and globally, there is greater risk of exposure to contagious diseases such as Ebola, especially if infected patients are undiagnosed when they travel. For effective infection control, advanced training and education of HCWs in the RD is essential.
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关键词
medical imaging,pathogens,infection prevention,radiology equipment,interventional radiology
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