ECR Dossier: The latest innovations in radiology
The impact of the pandemic
In December 2019, a new form of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, infected humans in Wuhan in the Chinese province of Hubei. The respiratory disease named COVID-19 has become a pandemic that is now spreading very rapidly. Imaging procedures are crucial in the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to assessing suspected cases and the course of the disease. On the basis of the latest scientific evidence we consider the role of X-ray imaging in the current situation.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop rapidly, particularly in the United States and Europe. Imaging procedures are an essential component of care for patients with symptoms. Besides computed tomography (CT) and X-ray imaging, lung ultrasound (LUS) has become an emerging tool for assessing COVID-19 patients.
At the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, radiation oncologists are successfully testing AI-based algorithms to automatically contour organs at risk and irradiate tumors faster and more precisely.
In early 2020, life in the Western world was deceptively easy. By mid-March, that had changed. In just days, what was sure became uncertain. Hundreds around the world – from infants to the elderly, people in good shape to those who struggled to walk upstairs – died.
A female patient (BMI 32.4), suffering from fever and a moderate dry cough for the past week, presented herself to the hospital. She was a non-smoker and had an unremarkable past medical history. The RT-PCR test for COVID-19 resulted positive and she was then referred for a chest CT examination.
A 54-year-old female patient, suffering from tightness in her chest and coughing with blood/stained sputum for the past day, presented herself to the hospital. She had high fever (38.7°), for unknown reasons, for the past seven days. Her RT-PCR test resulted positive. She was then referred for a CT chest examination.
In the future, the growing need for radiological specialists could lead to more frequent bottlenecks. Now, thanks to the introduction of software to support remote scanning, radiology technologists at Essen University Hospital can operate up to three scanners at the same time regardless of their location.
Advancements in catheter therapy have in recent years turned stroke care upside down. Interventional specialists can often save patients with even the most severe strokes – provided the patients arrive at the hospital on time.
As a specialized clinic with a clear mandate for training and research, the University Hospital Erlangen is always seeking out the latest CT technology. Now, it has made the first step into a new era of computed tomography.
New imaging approaches such as tomosynthesis and abbreviated MRI are suitable to overcome the limitations of mammography. Experts believe that these possibilities should ultimately be integrated into screening strategies tailored to personal risk.
Virtual ECR 2020: Shaping the future of healthcare