Preparation of a radiology department in an Italian hospital dedicated to COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Preparedness for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its spread in Italy called for setting up of adequately equipped and dedicated health facilities to manage sick patients while protecting healthcare workers, uninfected patients, and the community. In our country, in a short time span, the demand for critical care beds exceeded supply. A new sequestered hospital completely dedicated to intensive care (IC) for isolated COVID-19 patients needed to be designed, constructed, and deployed. Along with this new initiative, the new concept of "Pandemic Radiology Unit" was implemented as a practical solution to the emerging crisis, born out of a critical and urgent acute need. The present article describes logistics, planning, and practical design issues for such a pandemic radiology and critical care unit (e.g., space, infection control, safety of healthcare workers, etc.) adopted in the IC Hospital Unit for the care and management of COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Hospital; Pandemic; Radiology; SARS-CoV-2.

Fig. 1

Map of one of the two floors: red and green zones are evident. lab laboratory, hcw healthcare workers, * donning PPE point, ** doffing PPE point

Fig. 2

Example of beds in each module

Fig. 3

US machine

Fig. 4

CT scan

Fig. 5

a, b Disposable CT isolation bag to reduce room and equipment contamination in diagnostic or interventional scenarios. Courtesy Civco Medical Solutions, Kalona, Iowa, USA and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA. Reproduced with permission (manuscript under review)

Fig. 6

Portable C-arm