Nuclear cardiology in the COVID-19 pandemic era

Vigne, Jean-Louis; Manrique, Alain; Mouet, Audrey; Hello, Simon Le; Denis, Arnaud

doi:10.1016/j.acvd.2020.05.003

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Camera surfaces and other non-disposable equipment utilized for patient examinations need regular and meticulous disincentive measures after each scan [24][25][26][27]. Similarly, for effort stress test procedures should be diminished in intensity and a better alternative is a pharmacological stress test [27][28][29][30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiology Clinic in COVID-19 Era- Review Article

Iqbal¹

2021

J Regen Biol Med

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The outbreak of COVID-19 and succeeding lockdown curtailment of routine life activities resulted in a profound effect on healthcare systems, globally. There were difficulties in Outpatient follow-up during this time. Since the start of the lockdowns, the general cardiology clinics have faced challenges of social distancing and safe clinical practices to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and cardiology patients. During the lockdowns, telemedicine gained significance in the healthcare industry. It was utilized to triage patients before allowing them to the emergency department. It also offered help in remote monitoring for isolated patients in high dependency patients in hospitals. The aim of this review was to delve into this important aspect in the current literature on both the direct ramifications due to COVID-19 on clinical practice in cardiology clinics. Challenges to the patients and the healthcare personnel. Measures to have a prudent strategy to cope with all these challenges because of the ways in which containment and social distancing measures have derailed daily life.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiology Clinic in COVID-19 Era- Review Article

Iqbal¹

2021

J Regen Biol Med

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“…Nuclear cardiology was one of the most affected branches of NM during the COVID-19 pandemic, above all in reducing the number of examinations ( 5 ). All non-urgent examinations were postponed according to priority scales considering, for example, the level of cardiologic risk ( 26 ). A prioritisation strategy for scheduling stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy has been developed by Scrima et al A total of 46 patients affected by chronic ischemic cardiopathy underwent stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.…”

Section: Impact On Diagnostic and Therapeutic Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When patients were admitted to NM departments for nuclear cardiology examinations, rapid protocols and pharmacological stress examination instead of exercise test were preferred. Furthermore, to prevent infection transmission, reusable materials and rooms were sanitised, leading to lengthening of intervals between patients and lengthening of the working day ( 26 , 30 ).…”

Section: Impact On Diagnostic and Therapeutic Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After the examination, special attention was paid to check lung findings from SPECT and PET/CT examinations, and the use of dematerialised files and reports was encouraged ( 26 ). Finally, to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, alternative methods of communication for multidisciplinary cardiology meetings, such as video conferencing, were considered ( 31 ).…”

Section: Impact On Diagnostic and Therapeutic Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Nuclear Medicine in Europe

Kirienko

Telo

Hustinx

et al. 2022

Seminars in Nuclear Medicine

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The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed hospital activities, including nuclear medicine (NM) practice. This review aimed to determine and describe the impact of COVID-19 on NM in Europe and critically discuss actions and strategies applied to face the pandemic. A literature search for relevant articles was performed on PubMed, covering COVID-19 studies published up until January 21, 2021. The findings were summarized according to general and specific activities within the NM departments. The pandemic strongly challenged NM departments: a reduction in the workforce has been experienced in almost every centre in Europe due to personnel diagnosed with COVID-19 and other reasons related to the coronavirus. NM departments introduced procedures to limit COVID-19 transmission, including environmental and personal hygiene, social distancing, rescheduling of non–high-priority procedures, the correct use of personal protective equipment, and prompt identification of suspect COVID-19 cases. A proportion of the departments experienced a delay in radiopharmaceuticals supply or technical assistance during the pandemic. Furthermore, the pandemic resulted in a significant reduction of diagnostic and therapeutic NM procedures, as well as a reduced level of care for patients affected by diseases other than COVID-19, such as cancer or acute cardiovascular disease. Telemedicine services have been set up to maintain medical assistance for patients. COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped human work resources, patient's diagnostic and therapeutic management, operative models, radiopharmaceutical supplies, teaching, training and research of NM departments. Limits of availability of resources emerged. Nonetheless, we have to provide continuity in care, especially for fragile patients, maintaining infection control measures. Challenges that have been faced should reshape our vision and get us prepared for the future.

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“…We did not perform exercise stress test for myocardial perfusion scan due to droplet contamination associated with hyperventilation of physical exercise stress testing. 49 In patients with prior history of known asthma where adenosine was contraindicated, stress was performed with dobutamine. All bone scans except those for oncologic indications were postponed, such as bone scans for bone inflammation, metabolic bone disease and those for orthopedic indications.…”

Section: • Hypofractionation • Prioritization and Delayed Radiation T...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing Cancer Hospital Services in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic

Riaz

Babar

Khurshid

et al. 2022

MRAJ

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The public sector cancer hospitals in Pakistan adopted a resource constrained approach to optimize cancer care delivery to their patients owing to the challenges imposed by COVID-19 pandemic. The cancer patients are immune-deficient, with lymphopenia and neutropenia, either due to the disease process or treatment induced (chemotherapy or radiotherapy). This makes them more vulnerable to all sorts of infections including COVID-19. The smart lockdown approach and transport restrictions enforced by the government remained very effective in controlling the spread of COVID-19, however these brought numerous logistic hurdles both to the cancer patients as well as to the cancer care providers. To prevent overcrowding at the workplace and maintain social distancing, the entire hospital staff was put on staggered duties and patients’ appointments were limited and curtailed. A triage was set at hospital entry point where COVID-19 risk scoring was carried out to filter out patients as well as hospital staff suspected of COVID-19. A pass “COVID-19 risk score” of less than 3 was set to allow entry into the hospital. Awareness posters were displayed at hospital entry point, reception, registration, and waiting areas to guide patients and public about COVID-19 and the importance of adopting the preventive measures such as wearing of facemasks, hand sanitation and social distancing. The education and training of hospital staff regarding COVID-19 prevention, infection control, sanitization and disinfection of hospital building and equipment, donning and doffing of personnel protective equipment (PPEs) was carried out side by side. The cancer care services in nuclear medicine department were curtailed. All non-urgent nuclear medicine scans and aerosol generating procedures such as lung ventilation scan, cardiac stress testing and I-131 nuclear medicine therapy were cancelled or delayed. Alternate testing measures and other supportive therapies were prescribed, and patients were counseled to remain in contact with the hospital through teleconsultation. In oncology department all indoor admissions were closed and patients were put on faster “day-care metronomic chemotherapy regimens” or oral maintenance therapies. In radiotherapy department radiotherapy start (RT-Start) prioritization was adopted, after a detailed peer review of each individual patient keeping in mind the urgent or emergent clinical state of the patient without compromising the treatment outcome. During the COVID-19 pandemic, out of the 2091 cancer patients who underwent radiation treatment 27.6% were treated under priority-1 (RT-start within a week), 29.3% were treated under priority-2 (RT-start between 1-4 weeks) and 43.1% were treated under priority-3 (RT-start after 4 weeks). The radiotherapy workload volume was reduced by changing the standard of care radiation treatment protocols to quicker “hypofractionantion protocols” with similar treatment outcome, approved for pandemic situations by national and international radiation oncology societies. We found that this multifaceted optimization applied at various levels in our hospital helped in mitigating COVID-19 spread to the cancer patients along with continued and uninterrupted delivery of services by the hospital, during the era of COVID-19 pandemic.

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Nuclear cardiology in the COVID-19 pandemic era

Cited by 5 publications

References 9 publications

Cardiology Clinic in COVID-19 Era- Review Article

Cardiology Clinic in COVID-19 Era- Review Article

The Impact of COVID-19 on Nuclear Medicine in Europe

Optimizing Cancer Hospital Services in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic

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