Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Curr Probl Diagn Radiol. 2022 Mar-Apr;51(2):196-203. doi: 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2021.03.017. Epub 2021 Apr 24.
Radiology departments around the world have been faced with the challenge to adapt, and recover to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is part of a worldwide survey of radiologists' responses to COVID-19 in 18 different countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The purpose of this study is to analyze the changes made in international radiology departments and practices in response to the pandemic.
The 18-item survey was sent via email from April to May 2020 to radiologists in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to assess their response to COVID-19. Our survey included questions regarding imaging, workforce adjustments, testing availability, staff and patient safety, research and education, and infrastructure availability.
Twenty-eight survey responses were reviewed. Of the 28 respondents, 42.9% have shortages of infrastructure and 78.6% responded that COVID-19 testing was available. Regarding the use of Chest CT in COVID-19 patients, 28.6% respondents used Chest CT as screening for COVID-19. For staff safety, interventions included encouraging use of masks in patient encounters, social distancing and PPE training. To cope with their education and research mission, radiology departments are doing online lectures, reducing the number of residents in rotations, and postponing any non-urgent activities.
In conclusion, there are disparities in infrastructure, research, and educational initiatives during COVID-19 which also provides opportunity for the global radiology community to work together on these issues.
世界各地的放射科都面临着适应和应对 COVID-19 大流行的挑战。本研究是对非洲、亚洲、欧洲和拉丁美洲 18 个不同国家的放射科医生对 COVID-19 反应的全球调查的一部分。本研究的目的是分析国际放射科部门为应对大流行而做出的改变。
该 18 项调查于 2020 年 4 月至 5 月通过电子邮件发送给非洲、亚洲、欧洲和拉丁美洲的放射科医生，以评估他们对 COVID-19 的反应。我们的调查包括有关影像学、劳动力调整、检测可用性、员工和患者安全、研究和教育以及基础设施可用性的问题。
审查了 28 份调查回复。在 28 名受访者中，42.9%的人基础设施短缺，78.6%的人表示 COVID-19 检测可用。关于 COVID-19 患者中使用胸部 CT 的问题，28.6%的受访者将胸部 CT 用于 COVID-19 的筛查。为了员工安全，干预措施包括鼓励在患者就诊时使用口罩、保持社交距离和进行个人防护装备培训。为了应对他们的教育和研究任务，放射科部门正在进行在线讲座，减少轮转中的住院医师人数，并推迟任何非紧急活动。
总之，在 COVID-19 期间，基础设施、研究和教育计划存在差异，这也为全球放射科社区在这些问题上开展合作提供了机会。
