RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious atypical pneumonia caused by a novel pathogen. We describe our experience using a mobile CT scanner in an improvised isolation ward with life-support systems, portable lead shielding, and strict barrier nursing. This scanner was used exclusively for patients with SARS and patients with other illnesses who were also thought to have SARS. This arrangement freed the other CT scanners in the main department for non-SARS patients. In 5 weeks, 90 studies were performed; no cases of cross infection of health care workers were reported. CONCLUSION: Mobile CT may be used to provide dedicated radiology services to seriously ill patients requiring strict isolation during an infectious disease outbreak.
Assuntos
Surtos de Doenças , Unidades Móveis de Saúde , Isolamento de Pacientes/métodos , Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave/diagnóstico por imagem , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X/instrumentação , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Arquitetura Hospitalar , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Quartos de Pacientes , Proteção Radiológica/métodos , Encaminhamento e Consulta , Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave/epidemiologia , Singapura/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a new form of atypical pneumonia, which has become a major health crisis in East Asia and Canada, with the potential for becoming the next worldwide epidemic. Until the validation of diagnostic kits is completed, clinical findings, contact history, and radiologic findings are the key to diagnosis of this disease. The imaging findings on conventional radiographs and computed tomography (CT) in the acute phase as well as during recovery are presented.
