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Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a pathogen that has shown an ability for sustained community transmission. To ensure utmost safety, radiology services will need to adapt to this disease in the coming months and possibly years ahead. This will include learning how to perform radiographs and CT in a safe and sustainable manner. Due to the risk of nosocomial spread of disease, the judicious use and implementation of strict infection protocols is paramount to limit healthcare worker and patient transmission. Between 28 January 2020 and 8 June 2020, our institution performed 12,034 radiographs and 178 CT scans for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. As of 8 June 2020, there have been no documented instances of healthcare staff acquiring COVID-19 during the course of work. In this article, we present the indications and operational considerations used by our institution to safely image patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Alternative practices for imaging radiographs are also discussed.

In the era of COVID-19, “social distancing” has become a buzzword. Strictly speaking, social distancing refers to physically distancing by 1 to 2 m, but the overall concept is more important: disrupting the infectious chain by separating those with the disease from those without [1]. Epidemiologists have espoused the term, believing in its ability to “flatten the curve.” By reducing the exponential rise in cases, the health care system is not overwhelmed and can function sustainably over the long term [1]. Although this concept’s main intention is to control disease, in the hospital setting, it provides the equally important added benefit of ensuring continuity of vital services should intrahospital transmission occur [2]. We are part of a 1,700-bed hospital, with a radiological service strength of over 600 (41 residents, 77 attending physicians [nuclear medicine, interventional, diagnostic], 273 radiographers, and 240 nurses and administrative support staff). This article describes our measures and early experiences with safe distancing in our radiology service.