Mirpuri Tarun M, Wah Margaret L Y, Siew Steven W B, Upadhyaya Vidya S
Sengkang General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Singapore.
J Breast Imaging. 2020 Sep 24;2(5):478-483. doi: 10.1093/jbi/wbaa059.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic presented new and yet uncharted challenges to the field of radiology, and consequently to breast imaging as a subspecialty. Maintaining a certain standard of care whilst ensuring the safety of patients and staff in our small Singapore-based breast imaging center are equally important and has resulted in modifications of our clinical practice and workflows. Screening patients for COVID-19 symptoms, risk factors, and potential exposure history has become paramount. Workflow changes have also included progressively deferring, and in some cases halting, nonessential services such as biopsies deemed to have a low risk of malignancy, routine follow-up imaging in postoperative patients or those with prior Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 findings, and mammographic screening. Breast radiologists within our practice are also adapting to the changing landscape by playing a more active role in general radiology and emergency department reporting in order to reduce turnaround time and facilitate the discharge of inpatients. We have also enabled a sense of geographical segregation within our breast center to reduce potential exposure and cross-contamination risks. Although the near future remains uncertain, breast imaging within the broader scope of radiology practice will have to continually adjust to meet the ever-changing realities as this pandemic evolves.
新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行的出现给放射学领域带来了新的、未知的挑战，进而也给作为一个亚专业的乳腺影像带来了挑战。在我们位于新加坡的小型乳腺影像中心，在确保患者和工作人员安全的同时维持一定的医疗标准同样重要，这导致我们的临床实践和工作流程发生了改变。对患者进行新型冠状病毒肺炎症状、风险因素和潜在接触史的筛查变得至关重要。工作流程的改变还包括逐步推迟，在某些情况下停止非必要服务，如被认为恶性风险较低的活检、术后患者或既往有乳腺影像报告和数据系统3类结果患者的常规随访影像检查以及乳腺钼靶筛查。我们机构内的乳腺放射科医生也在适应不断变化的形势，在普通放射学和急诊科报告中发挥更积极的作用，以减少周转时间并促进住院患者出院。我们还在乳腺中心营造了一种区域隔离感，以降低潜在暴露和交叉污染风险。尽管不久的将来仍不确定，但在放射学实践的更广泛范围内，乳腺影像将不得不持续调整，以适应随着这场大流行演变而不断变化的现实情况。
